VERO BEACH — A Vero Beach man has been arrested in connection with an ATM robbery at the PNC Bank branch on 20th St., according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Seth Matthew Heart, 24, of Vero Beach, was arrested for robbery after he allegedly threatened a man who was making a deposit at the PNC Bank branch at 6200 20th Street in Indian River County Wednesday around 9 p.m.
The victim said the suspect pointed what he initially thought was a silver handgun at him, according to authorities. The suspect demanded the deposit bag in the victim’s possession and said, “just report it to your insurance company.”
After he gave the bag to Heart, the suspect ran from the area. It was at that point the victim recognized the silver weapon in Heart’s hand as a knife, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The victim provided the suspect description and direction of travel, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies, including K-9 units and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office helicopter responded to the scene.
Deputies in the helicopter noted the suspect was running from the spotlight and they were able to direct a K-9 deputy to his location. Heart was located in a field east of Sixty Oaks and Heddin Place and was taken into custody around 9:20 p.m.
In a ditch along 20th Street, on the route the Sheriff’s Office suspected Heart took when fleeing from the scene, deputies recovered the gray clothes he had been wearing.
Heart told investigators that he robbed the victim and that he took the gray clothes from an unlocked car in the area, according to authorities.
He faces charges of armed robbery with a deadly weapon and grand theft. His bond was set at $150,000 at his first appearance hearing in court this morning.
