US Marshals Service confirms serial bank robbery suspect arrested in NC

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - Police in Black Mountain arrested a man accused of robbing multiple banks across the state over the past week on Thursday afternoon.

Kelvin Wayne Simmons has been accused of robbing banks in Salisbury, Belmont, Statesville, Mooresville and Hendersonville in the days since May 25.

Marshals said officers from the Black Mountain Police Department arrested Simmons after a chase down multiple interstates.

Police were able to catch Simmons by using license-plate readers that alerted officers of his whereabouts. Officers used that information to initiate a traffic stop. During the stop, Simmons let two passengers out of the vehicle.

After letting the two people out, he led police on a high-speed chase, traveling on I-40 at speeds above 115 mph.

During the chase, he got off of I-40 onto I-26, and struck multiple cars while driving the wrong way. Once his vehicle became disabled, Simmons allegedly tried to steal another vehicle that had stopped on the roadway.

Police said bystanders held Simmons to the ground until officers arrived and took him into custody.

Black Mountain police said prior to the robberies, Simmons was calling in false reports of shots fired in those areas. They said he made a similar call just minutes before his arrest on Thursday, and may have been plotting another robbery.

The string of incidents began last Thursday, when he allegedly robbed a F&M Bank in Salisbury before he was accused of robbing another bank in Mooresville the following day.

Belmont Police said he robbed the Woodforest National Bank on Hawley Avenue this past Saturday in Gaston County.

[Warrant issued for suspect in bank robbery in Salisbury]

On Tuesday morning, he allegedly handed a note to a teller at the First Horizon Bank on East Broad Street in Statesville saying he had a gun and demanded money.

Then, on Wednesday evening, Simmons allegedly robbed another bank in Hendersonville, N.C. He told tellers he had a gun and left with an undisclosed amount of money.

Simmons is facing charges across several counties, including robbery with a dangerous weapon, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, flee to elude arrest, second-degree kidnapping, and attempted common law robbery.

He also previously faced charges for robbing a bank in Stanly County and causing a lockdown at Pfeiffer University.

Anyone with information can call either the Salisbury Police Department at 704-638-5333, the Belmont Police Department at 704-825-3792, or the Statesville Police Department at 704-878-3406.

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