Texas man robbed bank to pay for rings – a day before his wedding

A Texas groom who robbed a bank a day before his wedding to pay for the rings and venue has been arrested, police have said.

Heath Bumpous robbed the Citizens State Bank in Groveton on Friday morning, Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace said on Facebook Live.

The 36-year-old threatened a bank cashier and said he had a gun before demanding cash.

Bumpous told the employee that he was getting married and needed the money for the wedding the following day.

He then left with the stolen cash and drove down dirt and forest service roads when he received a call from his fiancee, who he was due to wed on Saturday.

His fiancee said she saw surveillance video stills of her husband-to-be robbing the bank that police had posted on Facebook.

She managed to persuade Bumpous to turn himself in and he confessed to authorities in Houston soon after.

“He basically stated that he was getting married tomorrow so he didn’t have enough money for a wedding ring that he wanted to buy and he needed to pay for the wedding venue,” Sheriff Woody Wallace said.

The bank was located around 30 minutes away by car from Bumpous’ hometown.

Police said Bumpous threw his clothes out of the window of his car as he drove away following the robbery.

Mr Wallace recovered his clothing as well as the gun used in the crime.

Explaining the arrest, Mr Wallace said in the video: “His fiancee, who he was supposed to marry, was able to get in touch with him on the phone when she saw our post on Facebook.

“She knew it was him. She contacted him and asked him if he robbed a bank… she convinced him that she knew it was him.”

Bumpous was still in custody as of Monday morning and has since been transferred to Trinity County Jail.

Mr Wallace added: “He has been charged with aggravated robbery. The district attorney has accepted the charges. It will go to a grand jury and he will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

The sheriff said that most of the stolen money was recovered.

Mr Wallace confirmed to NBC News that the wedding did not take place.

“No wedding took place that I know of,” he said, “It didn’t happen in my jail.”

Bumpous has not been able to have visitors since his arrest, and his fiancee declined to comment.