Fingerprint Leads to Bank Bandit

A fingerprint and surveillance photographs helped police identify the suspect wanted for robbing a Wachovia Bank and prompting a search that shut down I-75 near Moores Mill Road during rush hour Thursday night.

The suspect was identified as Thomas Lagano, 23, of Monticello. Police said Lagano robbed the bank on Windy Hill Road Thursday and then fled.

A GSP device slipped in with the stolen money allowed police to track the bank robber to I-75. During the heart of rush hour, police shut down a portion of the highway, backing up traffic for hours in a move that angered commuters and led to a review of the policy by Cobb County police (Related Photo Gallery: Highway Shutdown).

After police named Lagano a suspect, he turned himself into sheriff's officials in Jasper County over the weekend. He has since been transferred to Cobb County where he is being held on $25,000 bond.

Police said Lagano, who wore glasses when he approached the teller, never showed a weapon or claimed to have one. He instructed the teller to give him all of the large bills in the upper and lower cash drawers. The teller complied and the suspect fled the bank.

Authorities are now trying to link Lagano to other bank heists in the Metro Atlanta area.

"We know that he's probably been involved in other bank robberies in the Metro Atlanta area so it is a relief that he is behind bars. We probably won't have to worry about him robbing any banks soon," said Cobb police spokesman Dana Pierce.

Police picked up Lagano's fingerprint at one scene and were searching for him when he surrendered Saturday night.