Crime Time

Arlington police seek public's help in identifying suspected bank robber

Arlington police are seeking the public's help in identifying a man suspected of robbing a bank last week.

The robbery took place at about 2:45 p.m. June 5 at a bank in the 900 block of North Arbrook Boulevard.

A white male believed to be 35 to 40 years old walked up to the counter and demanded money. Video surveillance footage shows him to have a thin build and tattoos on both forearms. He left the scene in a newer white Ford F-150 with a regular cab with tinted windows.

Police are using social media to share images from the video footage in hopes of connecting with anyone who might be able to identify the man.

 Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Dara Dewall at 817 459-5739, or Crime Stoppers at 817-469-TIPS (8477).  All tipsters remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward up to $1,000. 

-Patrick M. Walker

$30,000 reward offered in slaying of DPS trooper

A reward of $30,000 has been put up for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the man wanted by police in connection with the shooting death of Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper James Scott Burns in East Texas.

The reward is being offered with money put up by several East Texas businesses and District Attorney’s offices, according to a DPS press release. The wanted man is Brandon Wayne Robertson, 37. He is the suspect in the fatal shooting of Burns Tuesday night in Marion County near Lake O' the Pines.

According to the release, Robertson, left, was last seen driving a blue Dodge Intrepid with Texas license plate 039-LCG. If you have any information that could help, the DPS is asking you to call DPS toll free at 1-888-247-0827 or 1-888-247-0829.

The reward money was donated by Oak Farms Dairies, Hunt Petroleum, the Bowie County District Attorney’s Office, the Cass County District Attorney’s Office and the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.

This reward will remain in force for six months, according to the release.

Robertson is a former police officer and a capital murder warrant has been issued for him.

-- Lance Murray

Comparing rewards offered for killers of people, pets

In the interest of serious discussion, we offer this:

What does it mean when we, as a community, choose to post the same reward for a dog killer as we do for the killer of another human being?

Star-Telegram columnist Bud Kennedy poses that question in his column today.

Bud recounts "the tremendous public outcry" over the killing of Spike (upper left), a pet Pomeranian beaten and then burned recently in Arlington.

Rewards offered to catch his killer have reached $10,000.

Meanwhile, Bud noted, the same amount has been offered in two other recent high-profile crimes: Marianne Wilkinson, 68, who was slain last month at the front door of her home in North Richland Hills; and the teenage Said sisters (upper right) who were found New Year's Day, shot to death in their father's taxi cab.

"I'm not going to criticize anyone for giving generously so police can find any killer," Bud wrote, "But when we post bigger rewards for a dog-killer than for somebody who killed two teenage girls or a woman -- what does that say?"

Your thoughts?

-- Bill Miller