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Cantonment Woman Arrested After Bank Robbery, Fake Bomb Threat
February 2, 2013
A Cantonment woman is in jail after a bank robbery and bomb threat shut down Nine Mile Road Friday afternoon.
Escambia County deputies responded to a bank robbery at about 2:30 p.m. at the Beach Community Bank, 9329 N. Palafox St.
As deputies were responding they were alerted of a possible suspect vehicle, which they spotted trying to exit the shopping complex near the bank.
Deputies detained the suspect Mary Eileeen Pritchett driving the suspect vehicle. It was learned in the investigation that Pritchett had entered the bank and passed a note to a teller. Pritchett then exited the bank and drove off in a dark colored mini van, the same which deputies stopped.
The bank employees were able to positively identify Pritchett as the suspect. As deputies were speaking to Pritchett she claimed that her son had been abducted and was being held by a male until she robbed the bank. Pritchett said there was a bomb in the vehicle.
Deputies then closed the roads and evacuated the nearby businesses until the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Unit and the State Fire Marshall’s Bomb Unit arrived on scene. Traffic was rerouted due to the road closures.
During subsequent questioning Pritchett admitted that she had made the story up about her child being abducted, that she in fact has no child, and there was never any bomb in her possession or in the vehicle.
As a precaution the vehicle was cleared by the bomb units, and no type of explosive device was found. Pritchett’s vehicle was seized for the investigation.
Pritchett was arrested and charged with robbery with a deadly weapon, she remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $10, 000. She provided an Cantonment address on Neal Road when booked into jail.
Pictured top: A Friday afternoon bank robbery at the Beach Community Bank on Palafox Street near Nine Mile Road landed one woman in jail and caused traffic nightmares in the area (photo courtesy Anthony Pura WEAR 3). Picture below: Traffic being rerouted along Nine Mile Road (photo courtesy Katelynn Zisa). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
32 Responses to “Cantonment Woman Arrested After Bank Robbery, Fake Bomb Threat”
What I don’t understand is why we had to wait for someone to come from Bay County!!!!!!!……If our Sheriffs Department does not have a bomb squad, then why could they not get one from Eglin, Hurlburt, PNAS, or PPD, Mobile??????…I would think with all the money they have spent like getting a military style SWAT vehicle they would already have a bomb unit or people in SWAT trained for this
My mom and brother was going through it and had got rerouted and had to drive through some roads to get back home here.
CONSIDERING:
“I was not happy about the extra miles and time imposed on me by this, but I am more glad I am not this poor woman.”
I’m glad you’re not a bank robber and a terrorist too.
David for the little things
As to the complaints about the low bond – Try to remember that a bond is NOT a fine. It’s a promise to appear backed by money.
I hope she pleads out. So many thousands of people had their lives disrupted yesterday because of her selfish actions, that the court would probably have to move her trial elsewhere to get an “impartial” jury for a fair trial. I don’t think she would want ME on the jury! And she needs to be held accountable for the cost of getting the bomb squad here and all the overtime, if any, the county had to pay its officiers. Mental health treatment……absolutely, but that would probably be on the taxpayer’s dime too…..along with her most likely court appointed attorney, who should go with “not guilty by reason of mental defect”…..sigh…..
The majority’s main concerns in situations like this are quite telling. We are surely a nation of self-centered, pampered and spoiled people. This woman has helped many show their real colors. I hope they never become delusional. I was not happy about the extra miles and time imposed on me by this, but I am more glad I am not this poor woman.
Ths Lady may have some mental problems, you never know about people, I do know the Law is she pulled a gun to rob the bank . thats 25 years in florida . if I’am not mistaken. We never understand why people do the things they do . But she has to answer to the courts. I’m sure shes looking at some time.
Once she is sentenced, she should also have to pay restitution to EVERY business on 9 Mile road that lost all of those busy Friday afternoon business hours which would have been a lot of money. A lot of people go out to eat on Fridays after work and go shopping, and all of the restaurants, banks, stores, etc. lost that business, not to mention the employees who probably got sent home without pay.
Jane, not only on a Friday afternoon (or any for that matter) but also only approximately four blocks from ECSD substation. I say a cornflake without the milk!! I would also like to know if I could get her to reimburse me the $$ I had to pay for my chicken because I had to detour to a higher priced store. Just saying.
The poor soul is obviously a sick individual. Now—-cut to the chase, send her directly to a mental institution instead of having court case after court case which is costing tax payers money for the same end result. It does not take a person with a doctor’s degree to diagnose this one.
She was just sitting around trying to figure out how to pay her utility bills and make her car payment and she came up “with a plan.”
she looks like a deer that has been spotted with headlights
So sorry people had to wait or go in a different direction!! I am glad no one got hurt. It could have been a total different story if there had been a bomb. The kids didn’t get hurt dy going a different way and the police did catch the person. Has anyone found out why she did what she did? or has everyone just been worrid they had to go in a different way?????
I hope she has to repay the cost of all the manpower, the bomb squad, etc…
Being desperate enough to rob a bank, I am sure she will not be able to post bond. And Lord knows she needs mental help.
I was listening to the fire and EMS radio on my way home and on top of all the rerouting of everyday traffic our EMS units were having to suck issues with getting o emergency calls. Our counties dispatchers were every professional and the EMS units were too. The Supervisor Med 4 had to be sent a lot fr quick response so will the ambulances could get through.
This woman does nt need a bondat all and her charges should include any thing they may have delayed a member of our community from receiving emergency care, if there was any.
Thank you to all sheriffs deputies, fire, EMS, dispatchers and he bomb squad for keeping us safe.
Nice to know I’ve been living near neal street with this crazy woman!! What has the world come to these days i swear!!
There should also be a charge for interference with the Friday evening commute.
I don’t mind as much if crazy people want to make everybody late in the morning, but don’t mess with people trying to get home after a long week.
10K??? How dumb can they be…. She shut down half of Ensley for over 6 hours and that’s all she gets?? Her craziness self will be out again today.
Bet she gets more time than the woman that robbed the brewton bank did!
10,000 dollar bond, easy to post bail… and she has nothing to worry about the last female bank robber only got 18 months. I’m sure she’ll plea out if she has no record.
That is such crap $10,000 bond my brother is being charge with something that comes no where close to robbery with a deadly weapon or making bombs threats and his bond is $25,000. Are they for real that should have been with no bond set. And i no plently of ppl the would agree…. What is wrong the our justice system.
Just don’t understand some people.
Seriously $ 10,000dollar bond?? I’m speechless what is wrong with these folks! But that is our good ole justice system! People are just not held accountable enough
$10,000 bond??? Are you serious?
Why did they have to wait over two hours for the Bay County Sheriff’s office bomb squad to arrive when they could have called the Navy or the Air Force? Couldn’t that have saved some time? I was on Hwy 29 when the bomb squad got off the interstate. I’m glad that Panama City didn’t need them when they had to travel five counties away to answer our call. Doesn’t our county have a bomb squad??
My mom was in the same parking lot when cops stopped the lady in mini van and said that the lady got out of van screaming “he was going to kill me!”
This should make the Stupid Criminals List. Who in the world would be stupid enough to try to rob a bank on a Friday afternoon in that area? We were going to Arby’s for supper, but got re-routed and ended up at McDonalds on 29. Traffic was still BAD at 6:00 on 29. People need to chill and be thankful we don’t live in Atlanta!
I work at office depot and we have been told that it would prolly be another 1 1/2 hours before they would let anyone by.. everyone be careful
@5:25 pm traffic is still being re-routed.
Pine Forest Road traffic is multiplied because of it as well.
That means the buses are still having a problem getting to their schools. And then getting the kids home.
They need to get it out on the news so the parents know why their kids are late.
I just came thru there and got rerouted twice. I thought I’d never get where I was going. DO avoid the area. It is a mess.
That explains why they told all buses to avoid the ares.