Brother of murder suspect arrested in bank heist

From: WHEC-TV, NY - 30 Jan 2003

The help of a good samaritan helped Rochester Police arrest a bank robbery suspect. 18-year-old Sergio Ponder was arrested Thursday morning. Police say he is the younger brother of Jerold Ponder who is on trial for murdering his pregnant girlfriend.

Police say Ponder jumped over the counter and demanded money at the HSBC bank on East Main Street. Officers say he also hit a teller in the head with a gun. While the robbery was going on another teller at the drive-through window mouthed to a woman in her car about the robbery. The woman is deaf, but could read lips. She went to a nearby liquor store and called 911. Police eventually arrested Ponder down the road. All of the money was recovered. Ponder is charged with robbery, grand larceny and assault.

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