Alleged Rock Hill bank robber got $1,400 bag of cash — and something extra to help police
A suspected bank robber who fled on a bicycle with $1,400 in cash in November was caught by Rock Hill police because a GPS tracker was in the money bag, prosecutors said Thursday.
David Herbert Massie acknowledged he had the bag of stolen money when arrested down the street from the robbery. But Massie disputes how the bag of cash, the tracker, a ski mask and a gun ended up in his hands.
Massie, 45, is charged with armed robbery and three weapons crimes. He was in court Thursday at the Moss Justice Center because he wanted bond after he had been jailed without it since he was arrested Nov. 20.
Massie was down the street from the India Hook Road bank robbery when Rock Hill police found him, said prosecutor Chris Epting, 16th Circuit assistant deputy solicitor. Massie is accused of accosting a teller at gunpoint while wearing a ski mask before fleeing, Epting said.
“Police used the GPS and found him on a bicycle,” Epting told Judge Dan Hall during the hearing.
The GPS device, the robbery money, a gun, and a ski mask were inside the bag when Massie was arrested, Epting said.
Police shot Massie in the hand after he pointed a gun at officers, Epting said. Massie also allegedly pulled a knife while being taken into custody, Epting said. No officers were hurt.
It remains unclear why Massie, from Pittsburgh, was in Rock Hill. He has no criminal record, officials said.
Another explanation
Massie doesn’t dispute that he was holding the bag of cash from the bank when arrested, but he has a different explanation of how it got into his possession, said his lawyer, Devon Nielson of the York County Public Defender’s Office.
That explanation remains a mystery — Nielson said Massie wants his day in court to explain it.
“He has a different story to tell about what happened and how he came in contact with the money,” Nielson told Judge Hall.
Hall denied bail, saying Massie presents a potential danger to the community if released.
Massie will remain at the York County jail pending trial.
