A 49-year-old Austin man was arrested after authorities accused him of robbing a bank at gunpoint in Northwest Austin on Thursday afternoon.
Richard Graham was charged with aggravated robbery after Travis County deputies received a tip that Graham, who was wanted for a bank robbery that occurred that day, was at a business on Quinlan Park Road near Steiner Ranch around 7:47 p.m.
Authorities first responded to a Chase Bank on FM 620 and Quinlan Park at 1:15 p.m. Thursday after callers reported the bank was being robbed. Callers said a man walked into the bank, pulled out a gun and demanded money.
Deputies and assisting officers were on scene in less than two minutes, according to a statement from Travis County deputies.
Witnesses reported the man ran into a heavily wooded area behind a nearby shopping center, deputies said. A perimeter was immediately established and deputies and officers started searching the area using dogs and drones. However, deputies said they could not find the man.
Schools in the area were notified as a precaution and deputies were stationed at campuses, the statement said. When school was let out, officers followed buses through the area to ensure student safety.
After nearly four hours of looking for the bank robber, search efforts were scaled down, according to deputies. Officials with the special response team remained in the area throughout the evening in case the man turned up.
Graham was arrested hours later following the tip that placed him on the same street as where the crime occurred, deputies said. He was still in Travis County Jail as of Friday morning.
The Travis County Parks police, Lakeway police, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Parks and Wildlife and LCRA Rangers all assisted in the search efforts. The FBI also assisted in the investigation.
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