WHY GET OUT OF YOUR CAR TO ROB THE BANK WHEN THERE IS A DRIVE-THRU?? TROOPERS NAB DRIVE-THRU ARMED ROBBERY SUSPECT

(Mt. Airy, MD) – In an apparent attempt to increase his getaway speed, a Carroll County armed robber today decided to stay inside the car he had stolen and commit the armed robbery at the drive-thru, but unfortunately for him, Maryland state troopers are tonight taking him to the drive-thru at the county detention center.

The accused is identified as James L. Meadows, 30, of the 8800-block of Brown Church Road, Mt. Airy, Md. He is charged with robbery, attempted robbery, attempted theft, first and second degree assault, reckless endangerment, theft, and use of a handgun in the commission of a felony. He has been taken to the Carroll County Detention Center central booking section where he will await his initial appearance before a court commissioner.

Just before 9:00 a.m. today, Maryland State Police at the Westminster Barracks received a call reporting an attempted armed robbery at the New Windsor State Bank, in the 1000-block of Twin Arch Road, Mt. Airy. Witnesses told troopers who responded that the suspect was a white male, wearing an orange mask, who had walked up to the drive-thru window and knocked on it with a hard object, later identified as a handgun. The suspect was wearing a camouflage glove on one hand. He received no response at the bank window, so he fled the area in what was described as a tan Chevrolet Malibu.

Less than 15 minutes later, State Police in Westminster received another report of an armed robbery that had just occurred at the Bank of America, in the unit-block of East Ridgeville Blvd., Mt. Airy. Responding troopers were told a white male, wearing the same items as described in the previous attempt, had pulled up to the drive-thru window in a tan car, pointed a silver handgun at the tellers behind the window and demanded money. Cash was passed out through the drive-thru drawer to the armed man, who then drove off.

About ten minutes after the second robbery, State Police received a call from a Mt. Airy woman who reported her vehicle had been stolen from her residence that morning. She described her vehicle as a tan, four-door, Chevrolet Malibu.

State Police investigators from the Westminster Barracks Criminal Investigation Section spent the day interviewing witnesses and reviewing evidence from the crime scenes. Their investigation led to the identity of Meadows as a possible suspect.

Troopers from the Frederick Barracks located Meadows and his girlfriend at the Motor Vehicle Administration office next to their barracks early this afternoon. Troopers found evidence inside the girlfriend’s vehicle connecting Meadows with evidence from the scene, including keys to a Chevrolet. Meadows was also in possession of several hundred dollars in cash which he could not explain. There is no indication at this time Meadows’ girlfriend was involved in the robberies. She has not been charged.

At this time, troopers have not recovered the handgun or the stolen vehicle. Their search for these items is continuing, as is the investigation into today’s robberies.