Grand Prairie PD: Man returns stolen money to bank, surrenders

Grand Prairie police say a man had second thoughts after robbing a bank and returned to the scene of the crime to turn himself in.

Police say 59-year-old William Waters walked into the Chase Bank on Main Street on Wednesday morning around 9:30 and gave the teller a note demanding money. The note said he had a bomb and then placed a package on the ledge.

Police say the Waters left after the teller complied with his demands and gave him money. But once employees called police to report the robbery, the man apparently had a change of heart and returned to the scene with the money to surrender.

When police arrived, Waters told them exactly where to find the stolen money in his truck.

Police used a robot and bomb sniffing dogs to check out the suspicious package he left but did not find a bomb. However, the scare caused a portion of Main Street near Belt Line to be shut down both ways while police investigated and warned businesses nearby.

“They only asked us to move to the back until they were sure there was no danger,” recalled witness Nancy Woertendyke. “And then they came back and told us we were free to come back up to the front.”

Police say Waters did not wear a mask and never brandished a weapon. He is not suspected of any other bank robberies.

The investigation has been turned over to the FBI.