The Buckhead Coalition honored Fifth Third Bank teller Stan Walts for his help that led to the recent arrest on Peachtree Road of Ray Gilbert, the suspected “community bank robber.”
Walts, who was working at Fifth Third Bank when the suspect robbed that institution, recognized Gilbert walking along Peachtree Road a few months later and called police while he followed Gilbert. Walts alerted police that Gilbert went into the Wachovia Bank branch at Peachtree and Piedmont roads, which he then robbed, and police were on at the intersection to arrest Gilbert when he exited the bank and attempted to cross the street.
In addition to the Fifth Third Bank and Wachovia Bank, Gilbert also is accused of recently robbing Buckhead branches of BB&T and Chase banks.
The certificate presented to Walts by the Coalition reads: “In recognition of his alertness, loyalty, courage and efficiency in recognizing, reporting and identifying” the suspect. Walts was also presented with a $500 Buckhead Life Restaurant Group gift card and a cash reward of $500 from the Coalition.
–John Schaffner