By Mike Fletcher
PERU — State police arrested a Peru woman whom they say helped rob the American Trust Federal Savings Bank in Bunker Hill on July 27 then fled to Mexico.
Rebecca R. Imus, 30, faces a Class C felony charge of aiding, inducing or causing robbery.
Imus contacted Detective Tony Frawley of the ISP Peru Post Tuesday from Anderson, where she had been staying since returning from Mexico.
She told Frawley and Miami County Sheriff Deputy Mike Rogers that she was a neighbor and friend of bank robbery suspect Valerie Sue Castellano, 27, Peru, and allegedly had prior knowledge of Castellano’s intent to rob the American Trust Federal Savings Bank. Imus purportedly traveled with Castellano when she obtained the disguise worn during the robbery, Frawley reported.
Also, police say their investigation revealed that Imus was in the getaway car, with Castellano’s three sons, when the robbery was committed. Imus then, police said, fled to Mexico City, Mexico, with Castellano and Castellano’s children.
Investigators were in contact with Imus days after the robbery. While at a Mexico City gas station, Castellano allegedly stole Imus’ identity information, including her birth certificate. She then abandoned Imus at the station, police reported.
Imus then returned to the states after obtaining an emergency passport.
She is incarcerated in the Miami County Jail with a $12,000 surety bond.
Police continue looking for Castellano, who is believed to be in Mexico with her three sons, Marco Antonio Camarena, 9, Adan Gabriel Castellano, 3, and Sergio Jr. Castellano, 2. Investigators believe the boys could be in danger. Castellano is a white female, 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 230 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes. Her case is profiled on the Web site of America’s Most Wanted at www.amw.com/fugitives/.
Anyone with any information about this crime is encouraged to contact Indiana State Police Detective Tony Frawley by calling (800) 382-0689 or Miami County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Mike Rogers at (765) 472-1322. A tip can also be reported to America’s Most Wanted at (800) Crime-TV (800-274-6388).
