Authorities remove 'bomb' from suspected bank robber

Standard Democrat

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Monday-morning bank robbery led to a wild chain of events in Sikeston, including U.S. 61 being shut down for a short time.

According to initial reports, at just before 9:30 a.m., a man, later identified as Brad G. Brown, 23, of Sikeston, robbed First Security State Bank at 1150 S. Main St.

The suspect passed a note instructing a teller to give him the money because he had a bomb, and he left with what was initially reported as $4,000 in $100 bills. As the suspect fled southwest from the scene, he was confronted by Sikeston Department of Public Safety officers in the south parking lot of Arby's restaurant.

As officers were handcuffing Brown, they found what appeared to be an explosive device strapped to his stomach.

"We didn't know if it was a real bomb or not," said Sikeston Department of Public Safety Lt. Mark Crocker.

The device was removed; it was later determined not to be a bomb. No bond has been set at this time for Brown.

Money taken from the bank was recovered at the scene.

According to interviews, it was discovered that the suspect had caught at taxi cab to the restaurant and the taxi was waiting for his return.

Also on the scene to aid DPS was the Scott County Sheriff's Department, New Madrid County Sheriff's Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Dexter Fire Department.