A 71-year-old man confessed to six Montgomery County, Maryland, bank robberies, dating back to 2012, after he was caught fleeing an armed heist Tuesday, according to police.
Authorities received a call around 10 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a robbery at a PNC Bank in Potomac. An employee told police the bank was being held up by an armed suspect.
A nearby officer saw 71-year-old James Wersick leaving the front of the bank, police said in a release Thursday. The officer told Wersick to stop, and Wersick refused, saying, “I’m a customer.”
A bank employee told the officer outside that Wersick was a suspected armed robber.
As Wersick was being arrested, a handgun fell out of his pocket. A white bag full of cash and three knives were also found, police said.
Police said Wersick confessed to six bank robberies during questioning:
- Jan. 27, 2012, around 9:35 a.m., M&T Bank, 10100 River Road, Potomac
- Jan. 8, 2014, around 9:15 a.m., Capital One Bank, 7340 Westlake Terrace, Bethesda
- Dec. 9, 2014, around 12 p.m., M&T Bank, 10420 Montgomery Ave., Kensington
- Feb. 13, 2016, around 9:18 a.m., PNC Bank, 10211 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda
- Feb. 13, 2016, around 9:46 a.m., M&T Bank, 10420 Montgomery Ave., Kensington
- Aug. 4, 2020, around 10:09 a.m., PNC Bank, 10150 River Road, Potomac
Wersick is charged with six counts of armed robbery and additional charges related to the robberies.
