A 22-year-old woman has been charged after police say she carried out a bank robbery in Southfield, attacking an employee with a hatchet.
The incident happened just after 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, at the PNC Bank near 12 Mile and Northwestern.
The suspect — Blake Herring, who police say presents as a female— entered the bank armed with a hatchet and a handgun. Investigators say she demanded money and then struck a bank employee in the head with the hatchet before fleeing with an undisclosed amount of money.
Surveillance video showed Herring buying the hatchet at a nearby Meijer store hours earlier and swinging it around in the parking lot. She was also seen sitting in her car outside the bank for roughly 30 minutes before eventually going inside.
Herring was arrested on July 2. During her arrest, police recovered approximately $2,500 in cash from her home and vehicle.
She has been charged with:
• Count 1: Bank Robbery
• Count 2: Assault with Intent to Murder
Her bond was set at $2 million cash or surety.
Police say the victim is now recovering at home after several days in the hospital and is in good spirits.
Chief Barren also clarified that this robbery is not connected to a separate axe-related incident that happened nearby around the same time.
