An inside job? Police have new information on bank robbery
MENOMONEE FALLS (WITI) -- Menomonee Falls police captured two suspects responsible for a bank robbery, and an inside accomplice, on Thursday night, April 17th.
Frantic calls for help came from inside an Appleton Avenue bank in Menomonee Falls after two men, Zachary Ellis and Christopher Jacko, both 21-year-old Milwaukee residents, entered the BMO Harris Bank with their faces covered.
"They displayed a hand gun and demanded cash. I would call that a serious threat," said Mark Waters, assistant chief of police.
Bank employees say the suspects took money from the bank's vault and put it in a gray duffle bag. The subjects then fled southbound on Appleton Avenue fleeing from the police.
"It was high speed, it was reckless in that it disregarded numerous traffic laws," said Waters.
Officers located the vehicle a short distance away from the bank and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The vehicle failed to pull over and attempted to flee from officers.
Officers pursued the vehicle for several miles. The suspects ditched their car at the industrial park in the southwest area of Menomonee Falls.
The area was searched by Menomonee Falls Police Department officers assisted by officers from the City of Brookfield, Village of Butler, Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Wisconsin State Patrol.
Two hours after the robbery two subjects were located and taken into custody.
"Our investigation with those two suspects subsequent to the arrest, led to the arrest of an accomplice which was an employee of BMO Harris at the scene, during the robbery," said Waters.
Investigators won't say if the female accomplice, who is also a 21-year-old Milwaukee resident, was working in the bank during the robbery, or what her relationship is with the other suspects.
All three suspects have been turned over to the FBI and face charges for armed robbery of a bank and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Ellis has a criminal record for robbery and a possession of a firearm.
"Inside job, loss amount, vehicle chase, there were a lot of extenuating factors involved in this robbery," said Robert Botsch, FBI special agent.
Officials were able to recover all of the cash but will not say how much was taken.
"There's been somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 bank robberies in the state of Wisconsin so far this year," said Botsch.
Bank robberies are becoming familiar cases for the FBI, with increases so far this year compared to last.