Milandra Constant
Cornelius police on Monday arrested a Maryland woman on charges of being an accomplice in the Dec. 29 robbery of the Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union on West Catawba Avenue. And in a surprising twist, police now say a bomb threat called in to Lake Norman YMCA likely was intended to divert attention from the bank robbery.
Cornelius detectives were in Maryland Monday afternoon continuing their investigation and say they have a second suspect.
Police arrested Milandra Constant of Salisbury, MD, on charges related to both the bank robbery and the bomb threat, which forced the YMCA to close for several hours on the afternoon of Monday, Dec. 29.
The two incidents happened back-to-back. According to a police report, a YMCA employee told police that someone called twice that afternoon, at 12:59pm and 1:02pm, threatening to blow up the building. Police and firefighters responded and searched, determining that the threat was unfounded.
Meanwhile, at 2:36pm, police were called to the Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union, 20221 W. Catawba Ave., for a report of an armed robbery. The suspect, wearing a disguise, pointed a handgun at a teller, then fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. After the robbery, officers found a bicycle and a small amount of cash behind the nearby Fresh Market shopping center.
A witness told police that a silver minivan had been parked in that area. Police believe the man got into the van and fled.
Police initially described the robber as a white male, 5 feet 10 inches, bald with a white and blue ball cap, beige pants and dark coat. But they later determined that the man was wearing a “high-end” mask, as well as gloves, which made it impossible to tell his race or gender.
But based in part on the tip about the van, the investigation this week led to Maryland.
Police used a security video to locate a minivan in the area of the bomb threat that matched the description of the one seen parked behind the shopping center where the cash and bicycle were found. The same vehicle was also found in the area of the bank at the time of the robbery.
A security camera recorded the van’s license plate, which was from Delaware. Using that information Cornelius Police, with help from Maryland State Police and the FBI, found and detained the vehicle and Constant in Maryland.
Constant is considered an accomplice in the robbery. She is being charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon of the Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union and making a false bomb report at the YMCA.
Cornelius Police detectives were still in Maryland continuing their investigation Monday afternoon. A spokeswoman said police have a second suspect and more charges expected.
RELATED COVERAGE
Dec. 31, 2014, “Bank robber wore a mask for his closeup, hindering investigation”
Dec. 29, 2014, “Armed robbery reported at Telco credit union on W. Catawba”
Dec. 29, 2014, “Lake Norman YMCA closed after bomb threat”
