Police arrest suspect in 2 bank robberies

Police arrested a Bloomington man Wednesday after he was detained and questioned by police about a March 5 robbery of Peoples State Bank on Clarizz Boulevard.

Barry B. Hamilton, 45, faces charges of unarmed robbery and driving with a permanently suspended driver’s license, said Bloomington Police Department Lt. David Drake. Police are still investigating Hamilton’s involvement in a March 23 robbery of Members Choice Federal Credit Union on Patterson Drive.

Employees of a nearby business called police Thursday morning to report seeing a black male in a blue van watching the U.S. Bank on South Curry Street through binoculars, Drake said.

Detectives searched the license plate number and found it registered to Hamilton, Drake said.

The van left the area before police arrived, so officers went to locate the vehicle. Detectives set up surveillance around and inside U.S. Bank, Drake said.

While detectives were checking on other banks on West Third Street, Detective Kevin Hill found the van parked at a liquor store with the suspect and another male inside. The van wouldn’t start, but while Hill waited for officers to arrive, a woman came and picked up the men from the van, Drake said.

Officers later stopped the car and found the two men, the woman and a small child in the car, Drake said.

Both men were detained for questioning, and Hamilton was arrested at about 3 p.m., Drake said.