Police Give More Details of Arrest of Suspected Carjacker, Bank Robber

Shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday, carjacking and bank robbery suspect Stephanie Lynn Schwab walked into the BB&T bank in the Chesterbrook Shopping Center, in McLean and passed a note to a teller that demanded money, according to Fairfax County police late Wednesday afternoon.

None was handed over, and she fled, said police, who released more details of the circumstances surrounding Schwab's arrest Wednesday afternoon.

"I saw her running out of the bank. . . I was shocked to see someone running out of the bank," said Christopher Chewning, an employee at the Sherwin Williams paint store who was in the parking lot putting paint in a customer's car.

He saw the woman jump in a car. She took a right turn on Dominion Drive driving North. Then he heard the bank alarm sound. He returned to the store. Moments later the police cars started arriving, he said.

The suspect’s vehicle was described as a blue Ford Escape. An officer spotted the vehicle on I-495 at short time later. He followed the vehicle into Montgomery County, Md., where it crashed into another vehicle at Old Georgetown Road. She fled on foot but was apprehended by the Fairfax County officer, police said.

There were no injuries. After positively identifying the suspect as Schwab, police are continuing to investigate with the FBI.

Schwab is a suspect in and was wanted by several other jurisdictions for bank robberies and attempted carjackings, including one in Baltimore County on Thanksgiving Day.

The Washington Post reported that the alleged crime rampage started Nov. 18, when police say Schwab, who resides in Manassas, walked into a Manassas Commerce Bank branch, implied that she had a gun and demanded money.

The next day, Schwab approached a woman in the Tysons II Galleria parking lot and asked for a ride to a gas station, police said. The victim agreed to give Schwab a ride in her Acura, police said, and as they drove away, Schwab pulled out a knife and demanded that the victim leave the car.