Alabama suspect in '02 robberies of Mich., Ohio banks is arrested

2/9/2008

MONROE - An Alabama man who is a suspect in armed robberies over eight months in 2002 at banks in Michigan and Ohio has been arrested and brought to Monroe to face charges in two of the holdups, authorities said.

Antonio Cook, 45, was arrested about 10 days ago in Mobile, Ala., as the result of a multijurisdictional law enforcement task force investigation, Monroe police Detective Brett Ansel said.

Cook was arraigned yesterday in Monroe County Circuit Court. Judge Jack Vitale set bond for Cook at $1 million.

He is scheduled to return to court Feb. 21 for a pretrial hearing.

Cook is charged with two counts of armed robbery for robberies at the Monroe Bank & Trust branch, 1102 East First St., at gunpoint on Jan. 15, 2002, and again on May 21, 2002.

He waived extradition in Alabama last week and arrived Thursday night at the Monroe County jail.

Detective Ansel said Cook also is believed to have committed the Feb. 21, 2002, armed robbery of a KeyBank branch in Monroe Charter Township and is under investigation for bank robberies in March, 2002, in Lima, Ohio, and in August, 2002, in Farmington Hills, Mich.