Sun City Center Sun Trust Bank Robbery Suspect

Update 3/24

With some extra vigilance on the part of Sun City residents and particularly bank employees, on Thursday, March 22, at approximately 7:30 p.m, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) detectives identified and arrested the suspect believed to be involved with three recent Sun City Center bank robberies.

According to HCSO spokesperson Larry McKinnon, earlier that same day, a bank employee from the Trustco Bank, located at 205 Apollo Beach Blvd. in Apollo Beach, called the sheriff’s office and said that the suspect featured in a Crime Stopper’s posters for the listed bank robberies, just looked through the bank window and described him leaving in a blue vehicle.

Multiple deputies saturated the area looking for a blue vehicle and within approximately 30 minutes, a man was observed driving in the area of 672 and Hwy 301 in a vehicle described by the bank employee, deputies said.

Through surveillance, the suspect was identified and a photo line-up was presented to the victims and witnesses and they were able to positively identified Jay Francis Larson as the robber.

Arrest warrants were obtained and Larson, 50, was arrested in Manatee County without incident.

Larson currently lives at 1002 Calle Rosa Place in Ruskin has been charged with strong armed robbery for the SunTrust robbery committed on March 9 and the Trustco Bank robbery committed on March 16, as he did not use a weapon to commit the crimes.

Detectives have been investigating these robberies and were asking residents to help identify the Larson, who has reportedly entered both banks with a white plastic bag covering his hands and demanded money from the teller.

The tellers in both case complied and after receiving an undisclosed amount of currency, the suspect fled, deputies said.

Detectives are also investing the same SunTrust Bank robbery that occurred on March 5, to determine if Larson was indeed involved, deputies said.

Larson was held in the Manatee County Jail until he was brought back to Hillsborough County.

Update 3/20

A man that Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office detectives believe to be responsible for two previous Sun City Center bank robberies earlier this month, of the same bank within one week has struck again.

Detectives are now investigating a third bank robbery, which occurred on Friday, March 16,  at approximately 2:51 p.m. at the Trustco Bank located at 4441 Sun City Center Blvd. in Sun City.

Detectives believe that the suspect is also responsible for the robberies of the SunTrust Bank located at 1525 Rickenbacker Drive in Sun City Center on March 5 and March 9.

Original Story Posted 3/10

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detectives are investigating a bank robbery that occurred at the SunTrust Bank, located at 1525 Rickenbacker Dr. in Sun City Center, and asking residents to help identify the suspect they believe returned and robbed the same bank twice within the same week.

On Friday, March 9, at approximately 10:46 a.m. the suspect entered the bank with a white plastic bag covering his hands and demanded money from the teller. The teller complied and after receiving an undisclosed amount of money, the suspect fled, deputies said.

Described as a white male, heavy build, short blond curly hair and stubble facial hair in his early 40’s, 5’2″ tall and weigh 160 – 200 lbs.,  and has been seen wearing a tan University of Florida ball cap with an orange “F” on the front, a white short sleeve “Donate Blood” t-shirt, light blue jeans and white shoes.

“Detectives believe that the suspect is the same individual who robbed the Sun City Center Sun Trust Bank on March 5,” said Sheriff’s spokesperson Debbie Carter.

Anyone with any information reference the suspect is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at 247-8200 or anyone with any information regarding the identity and whereabouts of this suspect and who wants to be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or text “CSTB plus your tip” to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).

Previous articleFashion For A Cause
Next articleCommunity Endeavors to Keep Riverview All-Women’s Prison Open