A man reportedly robbed a bank in South Lyon because he needed money to pay for his daughter's chemotherapy, authorities said.
The Detroit Free Press reports that the bank robbery happened when 23-year-old Brian Randolph walked into the Vibe Credit Union in South Lyon. He apparently handed the teller a note that said he wanted $20,000, that he had a shotgun hidden in his clothing and that the teller should act natural, Lt. Chris Sovik of the South Lyon Police said. Without any show of weapons, Randolph was able to go out carrying over $8,100 in cash.
Two days after the robbery, police caught Randolph with the help of Facebook, after tailing him and pulling him over.
When he was caught, Randolph explained that he robbed the bank because he needed money to pay his daughter's cancer treatment expenses. However, police said there were items with him that went quite contrary to his claims.
Police said that Randolph used some of the money to pay rent and purchase what looked like new merchandise. Describing the merchandise, Sovik said to WXYZ, "Some new Nike Lebron tennis shoes, a Gucci bag with very expensive items in there, some items from another store, clothing accessories."
Police were also able to retrieve an amount of $3,100, per Detroit Free Press.
According to WXYZ, Sovik said, "His follow up interview after he was arrested, we asked him why and he basically told us his daughter has cancer and there may have been a snafu with the state and she may have been inadvertently removed from receiving benefits."
Asia Dupree, Randolph's girlfriend, told the news outlet that she couldn't be sure of what Randolph was thinking as of the time of robbery, and that "The only thing I can think about is him trying to take care of his child."
AJC.com reports that their child, Brailynn, was purportedly needing financial and medical help against Retinoblastoma, an eye condition, as her insurance was suddenly canceled this month, according to her mom.
"If that is the case," Sovik said to Detroit Free Press in reference to the cancer report, "I can certainly understand. You want to do everything you can to protect your daughter. But there are lots of fathers whose daughters have cancer as well, and you don't see them out there robbing banks all the time."
So far, in a GoFundme page opened by Dupree, donations reached more than $20,000, which was their target.
The Detroit Free Press adds that currently, Randolph is being held on a $500,000 bail. He is charged with one count of armed robbery and one count of bank robbery, whose maximum sentences would give him lifetime imprisonment.
