Second suspect in Cornelius credit union robbery arrested in Texas

A second suspect in a Cornelius credit union robbery in December was arrested during a routine traffic stop in Wichita Falls, Texas, on Sunday.

Benoit Constant was wanted in the Dec. 29 robbery of Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union on West Catawba Avenue. His sister, Milandra Constant, also has been charged in the case.

On Sunday, Benoit Constant was arrested after giving a false name to a Texas Highway Patrol trooper, Cornelius police said. Constant tried to run from the trooper but was caught, police said.

Authorities in Texas charged him with giving false information and evading arrest.

Constant is awaiting an extradition hearing to return to North Carolina, where police said he will be charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and making a false bomb report.

In the Cornelius robbery, a man wearing a disguise pointed a handgun at the teller, got money and left.

Police found a bicycle and the stolen cash behind a nearby shopping center, and witnesses said a silver minivan had been parked in that area.

Before the robbery, police responded to a bomb threat at Lake Norman YMCA on the east side of town.

Police said they suspected the bomb threat was a diversion to pull police officers from the area of the robbery on the west side of town.

Police used video surveillance footage to find a minivan in the area of the bomb threat matching the description of the vehicle witnesses described as having been parked behind the shopping center where the cash and bicycle were found.

The license plate of the minivan was captured on surveillance video and was registered in Delaware.

Cornelius police, with help from the Maryland State Police and FBI, detained the vehicle and Milandra Constant. She was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and making a false bomb report.

This story was originally published March 10, 2015 at 12:31 PM with the headline "Second suspect in Cornelius credit union robbery arrested in Texas."