Man arrested in connection with bank robbery

Susannah Sudborough ssudborough@statesman.com

A man was arrested Thursday after police say he threatened a teller and robbed a bank in downtown Austin.

According to an arrest affidavit, 35-year-old Edward Lampkin entered a Bank of America at 151 Congress Ave. around 11 a.m. Thursday and asked to exchange some pesos. When the teller told Lampkin that he could not exchange the currency, he asked to have money withdrawn from an account, but the teller could not find an account under Lampkin’s name.

Police say Lampkin then demanded money from the teller and told him he had a gun in a bag he had placed on the counter. Authorities said the witness asked Lampkin if he was serious, and Lampkin replied that he did not want to use the gun on the teller. The teller then gave several $100 bills to Lampkin, who left the bank.

According to the affidavit, police used video footage from security cameras at the bank to spot Lampkin on a city of Austin camera located downtown. Officers found him on Seventh Street, wearing the same clothes shown on the bank video.

Lampkin was arrested, charged with robbery and booked into Travis County Jail. His bail is set at $25,000.