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Deputies: Pinellas Park man Googled 'how to rob a bank' then robbed a bank

 
William Joe Johnson, 26, stole an undisclosed amount of money from Achieva Credit Union at 10125 Ulmerton Road, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. [Pinellas County Jail]
William Joe Johnson, 26, stole an undisclosed amount of money from Achieva Credit Union at 10125 Ulmerton Road, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. [Pinellas County Jail]
Published Oct. 10, 2017

PINELLAS PARK — Sheriff's deputies on Monday arrested a man accused of robbing a bank near Largo last week, then using the money on utilities, rent and a drug binge.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, William Joe Johnson, 26, on Thursdaystole an undisclosed amount of money from Achieva Credit Union at 10125 Ulmerton Road. Deputies arrested him Monday night on a robbery charge at the Express Inn at 11333 U.S. 19 N in Pinellas Park.

Johnson entered the bank just before 11 a.m., approached the teller, implied he had a gun and told the teller to give him cash, according to deputies. He ran from the store with the cash.

After an investigation, deputies found him at the hotel. In an interview, detectives said Johnson told them he was in need of money and searched on Google "how to rob a bank."

Deputies booked him into the Pinellas County Jail about 3 a.m. Tuesday in lieu of $100,000 bail.