65-Year-Old Bank Robbery Suspect Charged With Multiple Offenses

BIRMINGHAM, AL - A 65-year-old bank robbery suspect has been captured, and faces multiple charges related to bank robberies in Jefferson County last week. Jackie Wayne Balentine was captured in his Florence home Thursday.

The alleged robber was taken into custodyat a residence in the 4000 block of Cloverdale Road in Florence, according to an Alabama Media Group report. The arrest followed a tip provided by Jefferson County’s Metro Area Crime Center and a SWAT team was involved in the arrest.

In addition to last week’s robberies in Gardendale and Homewood, the man is also a suspect in bank robberies in Tupelo in 2017 and Gardendale in 2016. The white pick-up truck that was used in the Gardendale robbery was also recovered at the residence.

The first holdup happened at 1:48 p.m. Monday at Regions in Wildwood. Homewood police Sgt. John Carr said the suspect walked into the bank, approached a teller and indicated it was a robbery. The teller did not comply with his demands and the suspect fled the bank.

The subsequent robbery occurred at SouthPoint Bank on Main Street. The suspect demanded money from a teller and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The suspect did not brandish a weapon in either robbery, and no one was injured.

Balentine is charged with third-degree in the 2016 Gardendale robbery, and and first-degree robbery in last week’s holdup. His bonds total $600,000.