ROCK SPRINGS – Two men were arrested after police responded to the Rock Springs Wells Fargo location. According to police, on Tuesday, November 19th, 2013 Officers of the Rock Springs Police Department were dispatched to Wells Fargo Bank on Dewar Drive after central dispatch received a call reporting a possible hostage situation taking place in the bank’s parking lot.

RSPD Officers, along with assistance from the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Department responded and secured the bank property. Officers made contact with employees inside the bank and were able to determine that no emergency existed, and that no hostage situation was taking place. All bank employees and bank customers were determined to be safe.

Investigation led to the identification of several parties who had been attempting to cash what are believed to be fraudulent or insufficient funds checks. Further investigation led to the arrest of two men identified as Alexander Higby (age 19) and Wade Bates (age 23) for aggravated robbery and kidnapping of a 21 year old Rock Springs man.

The 21 year old man, who will not be identified at this time, reported to police that on the early morning hours of November 19th he’d been walking along 9th Street in Rock Springs when a vehicle pulled up next to him. The man stated he recognized one of the men as 23 year old Wade Bates. A second passenger in the vehicle was later identified as 19 year old Alexander Higby.

According to the victim, the men ordered him into the vehicle with both a knife and a handgun and subsequently drove him to a secluded area where they ordered him to remove all of his personal property from his pockets.

The man was then held for a period of time on the early morning hours of November 19th. The two then drove the man to the Wells Fargo Bank where they ordered him to remove money from his bank account, threatening to kill him if he did not comply. When there were insufficient funds within the victim’s account, he was directed to cash what is believed to be a stolen check and return the cash to them.

After bank officials determined the check was fraudulent and declined the transaction, the victim alerted bank employees to the situation at which time police were notified. Officers secured the bank and a description of the suspect’s vehicle was broadcast to responding officers.

Officer Amanda Clawson of the Rock Springs Police Department spotted the vehicle on College Drive and initiated a traffic stop, at which time both Bates and Higby were detained. Bates was arrested on an outstanding NCIC Warrant Hit and transported to the Sweetwater County Detention Center.

Several Interviews were conducted and Search & Seizure Warrants were executed on multiple locations, at which time numerous items of evidence were seized. Both Higby and Bates were arrested for two counts of Aggravated Robbery and one count of Kidnapping each.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This investigation is ongoing. If anyone has any information pertaining to this case, please contact the Rock Springs Police Department Detective Division at 352-1588