LAPORTE | Facebook helped with the arrest for the latest in a string of bank robberies in LaPorte.
James J. Jackson, 24, was being held Monday in Alabama awaiting extradition back to LaPorte County to face robbery charges, according to police.
Jackson is accused of robbing 1st Source Bank at 1100 Boyd Boulvard on Thursday. Police said he implied he had a gun but no weapon was displayed.
LaPorte Police Chief Tom Thate said a picture of the suspect obtained from surveillance video at the bank was posted on the department's Facebook page.
He said family members or friends of Jackson's who saw the picture called the department revealing his identity and location.
After further investigation, Thate said a warrant for his arrest was obtained and law enforcement in Bessemer, Ala., after contacted went out and arrested Jackson at a motel.
“He was either in a room or he was going to attempt to get a room and he was picked up,” Thate said.
Thate said detectives have not spoken to Jackson and the motive for the robbery was not known.
Four bank robberies have occurred in LaPorte since November and the previous three hold-ups were linked to heroin.
Arrests have been made for three of the robberies while police have an idea who conducted the fourth but are still investigation to shore up loose ends in that case.
“Basically, all of the bank robberies that we've had and solved to this point they're all related to owing people for drugs or having a drug addiction and they want money to buy drugs,” Thate said.
Jackson has a driver's license from Alabama and was in the LaPorte area for awhile visiting family members, said LaPorte Police Detective Brett Airy, the lead investigator in the case.
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