Arrest nets Utah robbery suspect

A routine after hours check of Expedition Island early Sept. 1 led to the apprehension of a suspected Utah bank robber.

During his check of the park, Officer Kent Hemphill came into contact with Sandy, Utah resident Robert David Bingle, who was eventually arrested for alleged felony wrongful taking or disposing of property and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.

According to affidavit, Hemphill noticed a maroon colored Toyota Tacoma in the Island parking lot and observed a white male subject sitting in the rear passenger seat.

Hemphill identified the occupant as Bingle based on his Utah drivers license and than had dispatch ran a check on the vehicle registration which was determined to be stolen.

Dispatch also stated to Hemphill that the stolen vehicle report stated that the vehicle was possibly being driven by Bingle, who was considered armed and dangerous due to being a possible suspect in a Murray, Utah bank robbery.

According to the Murray Police Department, the Mountain American Credit Union in Murray was robbed the morning of Aug. 30 and the thief left the building with an undisclosed amount of money.

After placing Bingle in investigative detention, Hemphill contacted the owner of the truck, Terri Lynette Bingle and that she reported that her son, Robert, stole the vehicle Aug. 28 and that she had filed a police report with the Sandy Police Department. Terri Bingle also informed Hemphill that her son was addicted to heroin.

The court documents state that when officers were investigating the stolen vehicle aspect of the case, they peered into the windows of the truck and observed a plastic syringe on the front passenger seat and also four white balloons that were wrapped tightly in the console between the two front driver’s seats.

Based on his law enforcement experience, Hemphill found the balloons to be similar to those used to package heroin, which were photographed and collected as evidence.

Upon returning to the department, officers reported that while checking Bingle’s wallet, that they discovered seven additional tightly wrapped balloons and those were weighed with the others.

The documents state the total weight of the 11 balloons was 3.35 grams, and that the substance in one of the balloons tested returned presumptive positive for heroin.

Bingle is currently in the Sweetwater County Jail with a preliminary hearing date set for Sept. 8. He is being held on $30,000 bond.