KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man who tried to flee from police by breaking into a nearby home was charged in federal court today with robbing the Commerce Bank in the Brookside area on Saturday morning.

Frank L. White, 35, of Kansas City, was charged in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., with one count of bank robbery.

Today’s criminal complaint alleges that White stole $1,971 from Commerce Bank, 6336 Brookside Place, Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday, May 16, 2015.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, White originally came into the bank that morning, approached a teller while she was helping a customer and asked when the bank closed. He then left the bank and returned about 10 or 15 minutes later. White approached a teller station while she was helping another customer, the affidavit says, and she told him to step back. Another teller told him they could help him in a moment. White came back to the first teller station, the affidavit says, and was fumbling with a white piece of lined notebook paper that he was not able to get open. The teller locked her bottom teller drawer. White allegedly told the teller not to press any buttons, but she activated the alarm. White allegedly demanded money, stating words to the effect of “give me all the money in the drawer, give me everything” and “give me all the 100’s.” The teller gave White all of the money in her top drawer, the affidavit says, and White left the bank.

Kansas City police officers spotted White walking quickly eastbound on 65th Street across Holmes, according to the affidavit. When White saw their unmarked car, he allegedly began to run through the back yard of a residence on Holmes. The officers pursued on foot, with several citizens showing them the direction where White was running.

As officers entered the back yard of a residence on East 65th Terrace, they saw a broken rear door window. The owner of the residence was in the front yard and pointed the direction White was running. The homeowner later told police that when White broke into his house, he stated several times, “I have a gun, give me the keys to your car.” The homeowner kept telling White, “No, get out of my house” and told him the police were coming. White ran out the front door without taking anything.

When the officers reached the back of another residence on East 65th Terrace, White was being taken into custody by other responding officers.

Dickinson cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce E. Clark. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.