SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah, July 11, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A suspect who is thought to have committed multiple bank robberies in the Salt Lake Valley has been arrested.
Members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Task Force and Detectives from the Unified Police Department Violent Crimes Unit developed information on the suspect, Thomas Allen Riessen, 35, according to a news release from UPD spokesman Lt. Brian Lohrke. Investigators worked with the West Wendover Police Department in locating Riessen and his girlfriend, Shannon Ruybal, at the Wendover Nugget Hotel and Casino Tuesday morning.
Contact was made at the room Riessen and Ruybal were staying and the arrest was made without incident. Riessen was taken into custody and is being held at the Elko County Jail. Ruybal was detained, interviewed, and later released.
Investigators will be working with the Utah U.S. Attorney’s Office to file federal charges in relation to the bank robberies committed in the Salt Lake Valley.
“It is suspected that Riessen is responsible for six or more robberies within the Salt Lake Valley over the last couple of weeks,” the news release said. “It is believed that the robberies were driven by drug addiction.”
Before he was located, a warrant was issued for aggravated robbery in connection with an incident at Cyprus Credit Union robbery at 5750 S. Redwood Rd. that occurred on June 23. Police said Riessen may have had a weapon under his shirt at the credit union.
Riessen had other unrelated felony warrants, including fleeing from police.
