Police: Serial armed bank robber arrested after months of searching in Stafford, Prince William

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A Fairfax man police say robbed five banks across Stafford and Prince William counties has been arrested after months of searching.

According to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, 34-year-old Bobby Winstead, III, was arrested on Friday in connection to two bank robberies in Stafford and three in Prince William. Winstead is accused of being behind all five of them.

While dates were not provided for the Prince William robberies, the first of the two Stafford robberies reportedly took place nearly three months ago.

On Feb. 6 at about 10:45 a.m., Stafford deputies responded to the Carter Bank and Trust on 55 Worth Ave. after the business alarm was activated. According to the sheriff’s office, deputies arrived and discovered the bank had been robbed.

While the suspect had already run from the scene, deputies reportedly learned that Winstead had demanded cash and told bank employees he had a gun.

“Two nearby schools were placed on a partial lockdown as K-9 and drone searches commenced,” the release reads. “While the suspect was not located that day, detectives with our Major Crimes Unit were quickly on scene and were diligently collecting evidence.”

Beginning in March, law enforcement with Stafford and Prince William are said to have been in touch regarding the February robbery in Stafford and three “incredibly similar” robberies that had taken place in Prince William.

Just before 4 p.m. on April 10, another robbery took place, this one at the United Bank on 289 Garrisonville Rd. in Stafford. According to the sheriff’s office, deputies learned that Winstead demanded cash, displayed a firearm and then left the scene on a bike.

“Detectives combed through numerous surveillance cameras until a suspect Prius was identified,” the release reads, describing how Stafford’s joint investigation with Prince William proceeded. “With that, detectives discovered a person of interest [Winstead] and began conducting surveillance on the vehicle.”

On Friday, April 26, the Pruis was reportedly found in a Prince William office complex’s parking lot. According to the sheriff’s office, Stafford Detective N.D. Ridings went to the office complex and confronted Winstead in the Prius. He was then taken into custody.

In addition to the charges filed by Prince William’s law enforcement, in Stafford County, Winstead faces two counts of bank robbery, two counts of using a firearm in commission of a felony and two counts of using a mask with the intent to conceal his identity.

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