*The attached video above is from our coverage of Rodney Brock’s arrest on Sunday, April 28.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A getaway car rented through the mobile car-sharing application Turo led police to the man they suspect robbed the The Hometown Savings Bank in Terre Haute.
That’s according to court documents filed in the case against Rodney D. Brock, 54, of Maywood, Illinois. Maywood is a village in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Terre Haute Police Department announced Brock’s arrest Sunday and said cooperation with the FBI helped track him down. The armed robbery occurred at the downtown THSB location on Ohio Street on April 12.
A probable cause affidavit filed in the case shows that Brock reportedly used a woman’s name and license to rent the vehicle he used to drive to and from Terre Haute through the Turo app.
Turo describes itself as “the world’s largest car sharing marketplace” where vehicle owners can place their vehicle on the market and allow approved customers to rent them for use.
“Flying in from afar or looking for a car down the street, searching for a rugged truck or something smooth and swanky, you can skip the rental car counter and choose from an extraordinary, totally unique selection of nearby vehicles shared by local hosts,” the Turo website reads.
Police said FLOCK cameras spotted the vehicle leaving Terre Haute with license plates that were expired by 14 years and belonged to another vehicle. FLOCK cameras near Riverdale, Illinois showed the vehicle being driven with proper license plates the morning of April 12 and later that afternoon as the vehicle returned to the area.
Police said the owner of the vehicle has his employees check for a driver’s license and take a photo of drivers when customers meet to pick up rented cars.
After discussing who had rented the car on April 12, police were notified on April 26 that the same woman had rented another vehicle from the same owner. But this time when the person showed up to pick up the vehicle, it had been Brock, and not the original woman.
Police noted that the surveillance video from the bank, descriptions from bank employees, and a photo of Brock from when he retrieved the second rented vehicle matched.
Police have also noted that with the FBI’s help they have connected Brock with another bank robbery that occurred on April 19 in New Albany, Indiana.
Court records show that Brock is facing a level 3 felony charge of armed robbery. Brock appeared in Vigo County Superior Court 3 on Tuesday for an initial hearing.
During the hearing a preliminary plea of not guilty was entered on Brock’s behalf and a public defender was assigned to his case. Brock is being held on a $100,000 bond with no 10% allowed.
Brock’s next hearing in court will be held at 10 a.m. on May 21.
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