A man accused of robbing six Pierce County banks during six weeks told investigators that he needed the money for an addiction to prescription pain medication, according to Pierce County prosecutors.
Adam N. Ausen, 26, is charged with six counts of first-degree robbery. He was arraigned Thursday and ordered held in the Pierce County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Puyallup police arrested Ausen on Wednesday after identifying him as a suspect in the Aug. 16 heist at a Bank of America branch, 205 W. Meeker Ave. The robber handed a teller a note demanding cash and claiming a bomb had been placed in the building. No explosives were found.
Ausen, who worked at a different bank, was arrested after he left his home, court documents state.
He told detectives that he had developed an addiction to Percocet after a bicycle accident, prosecutors said. He said he was taking five to eight pills a day and was buying them on the street for $30 each, court documents state.
Ausen confessed to five other robberies:
• July 2 at Chase Bank, 11501 Canyon Road E., Puyallup.
• July 8 at U.S. Bank, 2800 Milton Way, Milton.
• July 18 and July 22 at Columbia Bank, 10409 Canyon Road E., Puyallup.
• Aug. 2 at Chase Bank, 900 Meridian E., Milton.
In two of the robberies, he wore a motorcycle helmet and jacket.
Stacey Mulick: 253-597-8268 stacey.mulick@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/crime
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