Here’s why a Bellingham man said he allegedly robbed a bank and where the missing $100 went
The man suspected of robbing a Bellingham bank last weekend reportedly told police when he was arrested that he was on his way to gamble with the stolen money and had dropped $100 along the way.
The Bellingham Police Department booked Isaiah Ezekiel Eraut, 50, into Whatcom County Jail Saturday, Sept. 24, on suspicion of first-degree robbery, and jail records show Eraut is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Police were called at 10:10 a.m. Saturday to the 1200 block of North State Street for the report of a bank robbery, after a man, later identified as Eraut, walked into the bank and gave the teller a note saying “I have a loaded gun and will shoot you if you don’t give me $1,000,” according to Whatcom County Superior Court documents.
The teller gave Eraut the $1,000, and Eraut then left the bank, documents state, adding that teller told police that he never saw any weapons and that Eraut’s hands were not in his pockets.
The teller also told police that Eraut had been in the same bank a day earlier, wearing the same clothing, and had cashed a check that was in his name, according to documents. The teller gave the check to police, and the bank provided officers with Erault’s photo from surveillance cameras.
Shortly before 11 a.m. Saturday, police located Eraut near the corner of Cornwall Avenue and Illinois Street, and he was arrested, documents state, and police found Eraut had $900 in his possession.
In a statement to officers, Eraut said he has a gambling problem and was $37,000 in debt, he admitted to robbing the bank and that he was on his way to gamble with the stolen money, according to documents.
Eraut also said he dropped $100 somewhere on the street, documents state, and that was why he only had $900 on him.
As police were booking Eraut into jail, staff at the jail informed officers that Eraut had come to the booking counter and asked to speak to law enforcement before he robbed a bank, documents state. Officers were responding to that call when Eraut walked away and reportedly robbed the bank.
Resources
▪ National Problem Gambling Helpline: 800-522-4700 or ncpgambling.org/chat
▪ Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling: evergreencpg.org, 800-547-6133 or email info@evergreencpg.org
▪ Gamblers Anonymous: gamblersanonymous.org
▪ Gam-Anon: gam-anon.org
