Bank Customer Helps Dearborn Police Apprehend Robbery Suspect

DEARBORN, MI — A 24-year-old Southfield woman was apprehended by Dearborn police minutes after she allegedly robbed a bank in the area of Warren Avenue and Schaefer Road late Friday morning. China Wells was charged with armed robbery and bank robbery in connection with the incident. She faces a probable cause hearing on July 7 at the 19th District Court in Dearborn.

Police reports indicated that Wells entered the bank just before noon Friday and passed a teller a handwritten note demanding money. The suspect implied that she had a weapon. Police said in a news release that Wells fled on foot after receiving money from the teller.

A bank customer saw what Wells was doing and called police. Reports said the customer gave police a description of Wells and followed her. Dearborn officers caught up with her a short time later and arrested her without incident.

(For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Dearborn Patch, click here to find your local Michigan Patch. Also, follow us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

“We are grateful that a citizen took the initiative to contact the police immediately allowing us to quickly respond and investigate the matter,” Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad said.

Wells was arraigned in front of District Court Judge Sam Salamey. A $50,000.00 cash bond was set for wells, who is scheduled for a preliminary examination at the court on July 14.

File photo