Washington County Sheriff’s Office
A suspect is in custody following a bank robbery in north Fayetteville.
Police arrested Mark Mathews, 48, of Fayetteville, in connection with the incident, which occurred at around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 28 inside First State Bank at 2125 E. Joyce Boulevard.
According to a preliminary police report, Mathews entered the bank wearing an “obvious disguise” and handed a teller a note demanding money (police did not disclose the specific amount).
A witness observed the incident and called 911, according to the report. Police said the witness saw Mathews remove his disguise and gave officers a general direction of where he went.
Mathews was soon located with the stolen money on Mud Creek Trail near Old Missouri Road. He later admitted to police he had passed the note demanding money and was given money by the teller. He also said he’d prepared to rob the bank by wearing a disguise intended “to hide his identity,” according to the report.
Mathews was charged with robbery, but not armed robbery, as police do not believe he used a weapon during the incident.
