Conroe Sergeant Convicted in Bank Robbery

CONROE, Texas - A 22-year Conroe police veteran is waiting to learn his punishment for robbing a bank he was hired to protect.

A federal jury convicted former Conroe Police Department Sgt. Mike Tindall of one count of bank robbery Thursday. He faces a up to 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine at sentencing.

Police estimated Tindall stole more than $28,000 from the First Bank of Conroe, where he worked a second job as a security officer and was a frequent customer.

Tindall had walked into the bank on Aug. 11 wearing gloves, a motorcycle helmet and sunglasses.

But an employee at the bank recgonized Tindall beneath his disguise and even linked his voice to Tindall's.

Investigators also determined that the robber had to have been familiar with the bank because he commanded the tellers to give him cash stashed in a specific part of the drawer.

Conroe Police cooperated with the FBI during a 7-month investigation that involved surveillance video, interviews with bank employees and grand jury subpoenas for Tindall's bank account records and a rental car company.

Court documents also had revealed Tindall's police radio was turned on during the time frame of the robbery, even though Tindall was off duty.

Tindall is being held without bond until his sentencing, which is scheduled for June 25.