MUSKEGON, Mich. — Patricia Jones, 68, was charged with armed robbery on Wednesday after Muskegon Township Police responded to a reported holdup at the PNC Bank on East Laketon Avenue Monday morning.
WATCH: 68-year-old woman identified in Muskegon Township bank robbery
When police arrived to the bank, according to Muskegon Township Police Chief Patrick Vandommelen, Jones had already driven off. However, Jones was later arrested, and Wednesday, formally charged.
Vandommelen says when Jones approached the bank teller's window, prior to the call to police between 9:30 a.m. and 9:40 a.m., she passed along a handwritten note.
"It said something along the lines of that this is a hold up, and that people in the bank could be hurt if they didn't comply," Vandommelen said.
So, the bank teller handed over the money and Jones drove off.
City of Muskegon Police were able to quickly spot and stop the vehicle, identified as a small, dark SUV.
"No weapon was seen, but given what was written in the note, one was implied, and therefore she still can be charged with armed robbery," Vandommelen said.
Although Vandommelen can't say how much money was taken, he can say it was a sizable amount and that it's been recovered.
Vandommelen adds there are rumors circulating online about the incident.
"People were reaching out to me, asking questions about the baseball bat bank robbery," Vandommelen explained. "And I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why."
Vandommelen went on to say one of the responding officers, in a description, identified Jones as wearing a baseball cap.
"I'm wondering if people that do those scanner pages may have heard baseball bat, but no bat was used," Vandommelen said.
That's why Vandommelen warns residents to be wary of what you see online, and instead of posting, contact police directly with information.
"It's like the game of telephone," Vandommelen said. "So a lot of times the things on those pages aren't exactly accurate.”
Jones was arraigned Wednesday, and although Vandommelen says police weren't able to identify an immediate, obvious motive, they're actively looking into a few different possibilities.
