FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

          Tips to Crime Stoppers have led to the arrest of convicted armed robber and parolee Timothy Thompson for the April 15^th holdup of the McDonald’s Restaurant at 2700 West End Avenue.

          Tipsters were able to identify Thompson as a result of surveillance photographs publicized by the media.

          Thompson was convicted of six counts of aggravated robbery in 1990.  He was paroled in 1999, and while on parole, was convicted of two additional armed robberies committed just months after his release from prison.  His combined sentences totaled 60 years.  Thompson was paroled again last month.

          On Thursday night of last week, Thompson is alleged to have robbed the McDonald’s manager after emerging from the restaurant restroom wearing a mask and carrying a gun.  He fled the area in a taxi cab.

          Thompson is being held in the Metro Jail without bond.

                                                      ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

          A tip to Crime Stoppers led to the identification and arrest of 24-year-old Ernest Hernandez for this morning’s robbery of First Tennessee Bank’s 7901 Concord Hills Drive branch in South Nashville.

          A robber wearing a hood over his head, a bandana over his mouth and sunglasses entered the bank at 10:50 a.m. and demanded money.  A teller complied and the robber fled the area in a red SUV.  While following up on the Crime Stoppers tip, officers spotted Hernandez on Tulip Grove Road.  He was taken into custody by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and is being charged federally with bank robbery. 

          Hernandez’s potential connection to other Nashville area bank robberies remains under investigation.

METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT-Media Release

March 2, 2010

     Shred Day is set for Saturday, April 10th, at LP Field. From 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Middle Tennesseans are welcome to bring all of their sensitive documents they no longer want or need to the stadium’s main parking lot, where the paper will be destroyed on the spot by machinery provided by Shred-it, a Securit Company, the world’s leading on-site document destruction entity. The only cost is a $5 tax deductible donation to Crime Stoppers per banker box of records. All proceeds will go to Crime Stoppers’ reward fund, which is used to solve serious felony crimes in the Nashville community.

     Up to ten million people a year become victims of identity theft according to the Federal Trade Commission. The crime occurs when someone uses a victim’s name, social security number, credit card number or other personal information. The first step in deterring identity thieves is to protect personal information and to properly dispose of unneeded personal and business records. April 10th should be particularly attractive to those persons and small businesses who have simply stored documents for years because they did not have the time or resources to properly and safely dispose of them.

     Also included at the same site on April 10th will be Crime Stoppers’ Pharma Trash Disposal. Metro police officers will collect prescription medications that are outdated and/or no longer needed and property dispose of them in an environmentally safe manner. The American Board of Family Medicine estimates that 89% of consumers dispose of their medications improperly by putting them in the household trash or flushing them down a toilet.

February 4, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

          With assistance from a tip to Crime Stoppers, Hermitage Precinct detectives today concluded that convicted felon Marcus Bender is the man who fired shots while breaking into the Tulip Grove Road apartment of a 23-year-old woman early Tuesday morning.

          Bender, 25, who is last known to have lived on University Court (Tony Sudekum public housing development), is now named in arrest warrants charging attempted murder, especially aggravated burglary and gun possession by a convicted felon.

          Bender is accused of trying to force his way into the victim’s apartment after she answered his knock.  In the process, at least two shots were fired, one of which grazed the victim’s face.  She was treated and released from a local hospital.  It is not known why this apartment and victim were targeted.

          Bender was convicted of felony reckless endangerment just last December stemming from his arrest for firing shots on University Court.  He received a two-year sentence.

          Anyone seeing Marcus Bender or knowing his whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME.  Callers to Crime Stoppers with information on this case can remain anonymous and qualify for a $1,000 cash reward.  Persons can also send an electronic tip to Crime Stoppers by texting the word “CASH” along with their message to 274637 (CRIMES), or by going online to www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com.

          Bender is considered to be armed and dangerous.

                                                          ###

[Marcus Bender currently has several outstanding warrants on file including Criminal Homicide.  Please call us if you know where he is located.]