Police: Suspect Confesses to Robberies of Bank, Credit Union

TYLER — Police say the woman arrested Thursday afternoon in connection with a Regions Bank robbery has confessed to both the Regions Bank robbery and a Telco Robbery in February. On Thursday, Tyler police received a financial robbery alarm at the Regions Bank located at 1810 SSE Loop 323 in Tyler. Information was also received from employees at the bank that the suspect appeared to be a black female wearing a mask, gray shirt, blue sweatpants and black shoes. She reportedly brandished a large knife and left the location with an unknown amount of money. A partial license plate of the suspect vehicle was obtained along with a description of the vehicle, possibly a black Chevrolet Impala.

Tyler Police Officers responding to the area located a black Chevrolet Impala at University/Lazy Creek in Tyler and initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Vanessa Ashley Ashford, 27, of Shreveport. After a search of the vehicle officers located a bag full of money and an exploded die pack in the trunk of the Impala. Ashford was arrested for Aggravated Robbery, a 1st degree felony. She was interviewed by detectives at the Tyler Police Department. Police say she confessed to the Regions Bank robbery and also confessed to the February 29 robbery of the Telco Credit Union at 620 West Front in Tyler. She was also arrested for Aggravated Robbery in that case.