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Mark Rothwell after he disarmed a would-be bank robbery in March 2010.
(Michael Russell/The Oregonian/OregonLive)
A Portland man awarded a medal from the Portland Police Bureau five years ago for disarming a would-be bank robber now faces bank robbery charges of his own.
Mark Rothwell was taken into custody shortly after the Wednesday afternoon robbery of Albina Community Bank, 5636 N.E. Sandy Blvd., according to a federal complaint filed Thursday in U.S. District Court.
"It's me you want," the 49-year-old told arresting officers.
Rothwell last crossed paths with Portland police in March 2010. The owner of London Pride Renovation was one of two customers left inside a Chase branch inside the Hollywood Fred Meyer in Northeast Portland about five minutes before its 7 p.m. closing. The former Londoner had tarried to ask about exchange rates in anticipation of a trip home.
A man walked in, pulled out a gun -- which turned out to be a fake -- and demanded cash.
"'Kristen, give me all the cash in the till,'" Rothwell recalled the man saying. "He knew her name, and for a second I thought it was some kind of weird joke."
Mark Rothwell received the Civilian Medal for Heroism for stopping a bank robbery in March 2010. The Portland Police held their semi-annual award ceremony at the David Douglas Performing Arts Center.
But Rothwell saw terror on the teller's face. He jumped at the man, knocked the gun away and held him down until police arrived.
"It's just one of those things," he said. "Someone points a gun at a girl just a couple of years older than my own daughter. It just rubbed me the wrong way."
The following June, the Portland Police Bureau presented Rothwell with one of three Civilian Medals for Heroism for his actions.
"We make decisions every day," Rothwell said at the time. "If you want to see change in the world -- you be that change."
On Wednesday, the Albina teller told police that a man walked into the lobby carrying a gun in his right hand and said, "Give me all your cash," as he pointed the gun back and forth from one teller to another.
The tellers did as they were told, putting $15,703 in a "rope-cinched bag," similar to one used to hold Crown Royal whiskey, police records show.
One teller told Portland Detective Brett S. Hawkinson that the robber had a 2-inch cross tattoo on his neck, a 5 o'clock shadow and European accent.
Hawkinson reviewed the surveillance video, which showed the suspect had not covered his face.
Shortly after the robbery, police received information that the stolen cash was inside a running, unoccupied white Toyota Tacoma pickup truck near the intersection of Southeast 54th Avenue and Salmon Street.
The license plate on the truck was actually registered to a 2002 Audi sedan.
Officer James West recovered a white bag containing a large quantity of cash, a black knit cap, black gloves and a 9mm Beretta handgun
With the help of tracking dog, officers were led to a backyard in the 1000 block of Southeast 54th Street and confronted a man there.
During the confrontation, another man identified as Mark Rothwell stepped out from behind the house.
"It's me you want," Rothwell said, according to court documents.
When Officer Scherise Hobbs asked him why, records show, Rothwell replied, "I just robbed the bank."
Both tellers later identified Rothwell as the robber, and Hawkinson identified Rothwell as the suspect from the surveillance footage.
"it appears to be an unfortunate turn of events in this man's life," said Sgt. Pete Simpson, a Portland police spokesman.
Rothwell is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in U.S. District Court.
-- Stuart Tomlinson
stomlinson@oregonian.com
503-221-8313
@ORweather