TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- Pictures released Monday from surveillance video inside the Renasant Bank in Tupelo show the robbery that took place that day.
They also show the man wanted for that crime.
Now investigators say they're one step closer to solving it because of a development hours after the robbery: an arrest two counties away because a "be on the lookout" call had been issued for the suspect's vehicle.
"And when [a vehicle matching that description] passed by, he stopped and after the traffic stop was made, there was also the smell of marijuana in the vehicle," Tishomingo County Sheriff Glenn Whitlock said. "He was asked about that and he said he did have drugs in the vehicle. Marijuana was found along with some illicit pills. He was asked if he had been in Tupelo to verify the BOLO and he said 'yes.'"
Tupelo authorities at this point are not saying the man arrested on the Natchez Trace Parkway, 35-year-old Brian Perry Jones of Toney, Ala., is behind the robbery. However, they do believe he is a strong person of interest in the case.
Tupelo Police Lt. Jerry Davis said Monday's robbery began when a suspect walked in and approached the teller.
"A gentleman entered the bank and produced a note, [then] left the scene," Davis said. "Witnesses gave us a description of a 6-foot-tall male, late 30s to early 40s, wearing a dark brown jacket with khaki pants and tennis shoes."
Afterward, he quickly left the scene, with an undetermined amount of money.
Tupelo police say Jones, arrested hours later by Tishomingo County authorities, could also be linked to other recent robberies: one that took place in Iuka in August and another in Booneville last Friday.
"Obviously we're aware of some of the other robberies that happened here and outside [this area]," Davis said. "We will be following up on those and compare notes with the other investigators, look at pictures and see what we can determine."
Tishomingo County authorities charged Jones with possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle and possession of narcotics before releasing him to the Tupelo Police Department.
He has not been charged in the Monday afternoon bank robbery.
