Bank Burglary Suspect Charged In Stafford County: Police

STAFFORD COUNTY, VA — A man from Rhoadesville was charged in connection with the burglary of a bank in Stafford, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. The man, who police identified as James Rupe, was arrested on Monday afternoon.

The Carter Bank & Trust originally reported a burglary on Monday, June 21 around 9 a.m. Tellers at the bank reported to police that they believed the bank had been burglarized overnight.

A Stafford County deputy arrived on the scene and began reviewing the bank' security footage. Sunday's footage from the bank showed a man using construction equipment to access the bank's roof at 4:45 p.m.

Authorities said the footage showed the man climb onto the roof before falling through the building's drop ceiling. The man then climbed down scaffolding into the bank, according to a report from the sheriff's office.

"The suspect is seen rummaging through cash drawers and stealing change," the sheriff's office wrote on Facebook. "He then retrieves a soda from the employee breakroom and drinks it before exiting the bank the same way he entered."

The sheriff's office said that surveillance footage showed the man when he exited the bank, as well. "Once outside the bank, the suspect removes the change from his pocket and puts it in his backpack before leaving the area on his bicycle."

Police noted tattoos on the suspects arm, and sent photos of the tattoos to other officers in the area in an attempt to identify the man.

At 2:20 p.m. on Monday, deputies were called to the Red Roof Inn on Garrisonville Road to remove a man from the property. When they arrived on the scene, the deputies said they recognized the man's tattoos from the bank's surveillance footage.

Deputies were able to identify the man as Rupe and obtained a warrant for his arrest. He is charged with breaking and entering. Rupe is currently being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.