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Woman, 69, Suspected In 2 Palm Springs Bank Heists

PALM SPRINGS (CBS) — Police say a 69-year-old woman is behind two bank heists in Palm Springs.

Carol Jean Bias was arrested Wednesday afternoon after a dye pack exploded in a bag of money she allegedly stole from a Bank of America branch at 588 S. Palm Canyon Drive.

Witnesses told police they saw ink explode on her when she walked out of the bank just after noon. She was found by officers about a mile away, her clothes stained with ink.

Bias is also a suspect in the Feb. 3 heist at a Bank of America, 5601 E. Ramon Road.

In that robbery, police say a woman wearing large sunglasses and a straw hat slipped a note to a teller, demanding money, and left with an undisclosed amount of cash.

A weapon was not used in either robbery, but Bias is facing two charges of strong-armed robbery. Bias was being held on $25,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Friday.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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