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Four arrested after pursuit of Saunders County bank robbery suspects

Posted at 10:37 AM, Nov 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-22 18:16:51-05

A bank robbery in a small Saunders County town on Wednesday morning led to a chase into Omaha that ended at a familiar gas station on Center Road, and with four suspects in custody.

The FBI said four people were arrested and at least three vehicles were located after the robbery. 

Nebraska State Patrol said three vehicles had been detained in connection to the robbery, one of which was involved in a pursuit involving NSP and Saunders County deputies that ended in Omaha.

At 8:45 a.m., an armed robbery reported at Security Home Bank in Malmo, located just northwest of Wahoo. The suspects led authorities on a chase into Omaha, and at around 10 a.m., dozens of officers, troopers and deputies converged on Russell Speeder's Gas Station and Car Wash near 114th Street and Center Road. 

At least one suspect was taken into custody at the gas station; another suspect was apprehended on the railroad tracks near 96th Street and Interstate 80 a short time later.

Witnesses say the police presence was impressive.

"I don't know what's possessing them to do what they're doing," witness Scott Shelton said. "They can easily go out and get a job and do what they need to do but it never pays, it never pays. They're going to get apprehended sooner or later."

The suspects have not yet been identified by the FBI, but reports indicate three men and one woman were taken into custody.

Saunders County recently pursued a suspect into Wahoo following a bank robbery in Colon, a city of 108 people, in late September. 

Last Wednesday, two men were taken into custody at the Village Pointe Best Buy at 168th Street and West Dodge Road after allegedly robbing a Fremont bank.

The FBI's Omaha Division, leading the investigation of Wednesday's robbery, said bank robberies in the area are up this year. The FBI encourages tips via of their Bank Robbers app, available for Apple and Android devices, which also provides information about recent local robberies.