DENVER-Police are crediting last month's struggle between a robbery suspect and the president of Provenant Federal Credit Union with the capture of the bandit, who is believed to have hit as many as 14 area credit unions and banks since June.
John Lehman, 41, known as "Bank Robber Bob," was identified after a scuffle at the credit union on Sept. 19 and was arrested a few days later. It is believed to be the robber's third visit to the credit union.
The suspected robber jumped the teller counter that day and was accosted by employees, including Mark Hatchel, president of the $8-million credit union, who recognized him from two prior hold-ups.
When the suspect jumped over the counter and started to rifle the cash drawer, a teller who had encountered him before grabbed a club and turned to see Hatchel wrestling with him, before hitting the robber on the head several times. The robber grabbed the club away from the teller and hit Hatchel in the head with it. The suspect then ran out of the credit union bleeding from his head, leaving behind a wig and cowboy hat he had used as a disguise.
The fight and de-wigging allowed the credit union's surveillance cameras to get good photographs of the suspect, which were published on local television and in newspapers, leading to Lehman's arrest a few days later.
Lehman was charged with 14 robberies, starting with the June 13 heist at Provenant, when he made off with $8,090 and a Sept. 10 hold-up at the same credit union, when he got only $640.
He was also charged with a Sept. 9 robbery at BCS Community Credit Union in nearby Wheat Ridge, as well as hold-ups at branches of US Bank, TCF Bank, Wells Fargo and First Bank.
