ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A man accused of holding up a St. Johns County bank earlier this month told detectives he "did it because his family needed money" when he was taken into custody, according to an arrest warrant.
Gary Rahme, 59, was captured Tuesday in Flagler County, where he was booked into the jail on the out-of-county warrant. St. Johns County investigators said Rahme was identified as a suspect in the robbery through surveillance footage and interviews with witnesses.
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The armed robbery happened July 12 at the Ameris Bank on U.S. Highway 1 South.
The arrest warrant said a man entered the bank, walked up to the teller desk, showed a written note demanding money and lifted his shirt displaying a firearm. After receiving about $12,900, he left the bank and took off in a white Ford Focus, according to the arrest warrant.
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said no one was hurt.
Based on descriptions of the car that witnesses believed the man drove off in after the bank robbery, according to the Sheriff's Office, detectives obtained video from a gas station showing a man at the fuel pumps and the tag came back to a vehicle registered to a person out of Flagler County.
Detectives said they traveled to Flagler County and discovered the car had been used by a man who matched the description of the robber and who was not currently employed. The arrest warrant said witnesses also told investigators that the man had been carrying a large amount of money around with him. Some witnesses said they unknowingly sent money transfers to the man's relatives, the arrest warrant shows.
A search warrant was served at the man's home and three air-powered handguns were seized from his bedroom, which met the description of the weapon used in the robbery, according to the arrest warrant.
Investigators then sought the arrest warrant for Rahme, who was contacted and initially stated he found money on the side of the road to explain his recent actions, according to the Sheriff's Office.
While Rahme was being taken into custody Tuesday, he "spontaneously uttered that he is not a bad guy and did it because his family needed the money," the arrest warrant said.
He also said, "the gun which was used was plastic and was not real," the arrest warrant stated.
During the apprehension, investigators said, they also discovered he was wearing a hat similar to the hat seen in surveillance video right before the robbery.
Rahme is charged with armed robbery with a firearm. It's unclear when he will be moved to the St. Johns County jail.