Police: Woman robber threatened bank with bomb

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office booking photo ofBertha Rice

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A woman who threatened to blow up a Wells Fargo bank on Philips Highway Tuesday morning during a robbery was arrested a short time later, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

Officers said Bertha Rice, 41, of Callahan, entered the bank at 3650 Philips Highway just before 11 a.m. and asked a teller for a piece of paper.

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Police said Rice wrote, "Give me money or I'll blow up the bank," on the paper and handed it back to the teller.

Rice was given some cash and left on foot, police said. According to the police report, she was caught nearby with the cash and a glass crack pipe. She was charged with armed robbery, making a bomb threat and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

This is the 17th reported bank robbery in Jacksonville this year. JSO has made arrests in 14 of those cases.