Iowa bank robbing pair caught in LA

by Antonio Sierra , May 30, 2013

Surveillance images of Hannah Reisinger robbing the Iowa bank

LOS ANGELES—Two suspects are now in custody after a cross-country bank robbery ended in arrest. Nineteen year old Hannah Elizabeth Reisinger and 28-year-old Wayne Eugene Palmer Jr., both of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, were arrested after authorities from the Stuart (Iowa) Police Department tipped LAPD officers to their whereabouts.

“I simply want to thank the LAPD/FBI Task Fugitive Force for their help with this case,” said Stuart Police Chief Dave Reha.

According to a press releases issued by the Stuart Police Department and the LAPD, Reisinger entered the Stuart First State Bank on the afternoon of May 20^th and slipped a note demanding money. After the teller complied, Reisinger fled into a nearby getaway vehicle driven by Palmer.

The following day, police from Stuart and the Guthrie County Sheriffs discovered a Denair, Iowa Super 8 motel room where the suspects had stayed the night before. Evidence found on the scene linked Reisinger and Palmer to the crime and detectives began to track the suspects as they traveled towards Los Angeles.

Happier times? Hannah Reisinger in a Facebook photo

LAPD Detective Anthony Verret recalled the moment when they located the two suspects at a Hollywood hotel, approaching a dark car with Pennsylvania license plates.

“We saw a car that matched the description and when the suspects walked up to the car we immediately took them into custody,” said Verret.

Reisinger and Palmer were booked at the LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center for robbery and possession of firearm, respectively. They are currently awaiting next week’s extradition to Iowa.

After their arrest, Reha commended the hard work of his officers and assured Stuart residents of their safety.

“We put a lot of energy and late nights into this investigation,” said Reha. “We wanted to make sure that we caught the individuals involved as quickly as possible and allow the citizens of Stuart to feel safe that the individuals involved would not be striking again.”