By: Hollie Hojek
hhojek@kcautv.com
Sioux City Police Sergeant Pat Breyfogle confirmed 26 year old Johnnie Hawkins Jr., of Sioux City, was waiting in the bushes outside the Heritage Bank on Singing Hills Boulevard at around 7:30 Saturday morning. Minutes later, a female employee arrived to open up the bank for the day. That's when police say Hawkins came out of the bushes and held the woman at gunpoint, demanding cash. After getting away with the money, Hawkins got in his vehicle and drove approximately four-miles down the road to Mike's Mini Mart gas station in Sergeant Bluff. An employee there recalls the details.
"He robbed the bank at like 7:30, then he came here and prepaid for gas at 7:45," said Cassie Jacobsen, employee at Mike's Mini Mart.
It was at that time when a Sergeant Bluff Police Officer spotted a man matching Hawkins' description in the gas station.
"The cop had drove by and kind of recognized that he matched the description of the suspect, and he took off running when the cop grabbed his hand cuffs and a customer took off after him," said Jacobsen.
Officials say Hawkins did try to run, but was quickly caught and arrested across the street at Fareway. Police recovered the stolen cash and the gun inside Hawkin's car. Fortunately, no one was injured.
At this time, police are not releasing how much money was stolen from the bank.
