Quick-thinking deputy slyly nabs bank robber

BATON ROUGE – Authorities said a quick-thinking sheriff's department dispatcher helped nab a suspect wanted in numerous robberies at monetary institutions across the Gulf Coast.

Julius Frank was booked into jail Friday evening after detectives said he tried to hold up a check cashing business in the Coursey area earlier in the afternoon. The alarm notified deputies of an issue at the business but it was quickly canceled. The dispatcher, authorities said, called the business and sensed something was amiss.

The dispatcher spent minutes on the phone with an employee, pretending to apply for a loan. While the suspect thought the employee was on the phone with a customer, the dispatcher was slyly pulling information from the call and guiding responding deputies.

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's deputies arrived and arrested Frank.

Frank, of Metairie, is charged with one count of armed robbery for the situation Friday. Frank is also charged with armed robbery for a crime in the city limits of Baton Rouge. Police said he is responsible for the July 28th hold up of the American Cash Advanced on Airline Highway.

Frank is also suspected of robberies in Slidell, Gonzales and Gulfport. The heists happened in August.

************

Follow the publisher of this post on Twitter: @treyschmaltz