A Norfolk man who claimed he had a gun and demanded $100,000 from a bank teller will soon be sentenced after a judge found him guilty on three felony charges stemming from the brazen daytime robbery.
Lemar Antonio Veale Jr., 25, was convicted of robbery by threat, use of a firearm during a robbery, and extortion at a bench trial on September 29 in Norfolk Circuit Court. The verdict followed a detailed account of a robbery that turned into a multi-jurisdictional police pursuit — and ended with Veale caught red-handed.
A Note, a Threat, and a Getaway Car
On the morning of October 8, 2024, Veale walked into the Truist Bank on East Little Creek Road just after 9:30 a.m. He passed a handwritten note to a teller claiming he had a gun and would harm people in the bank if he didn’t get $100,000. The teller triggered the silent alarm and handed over $36,500 in cash.
Veale left the bank and got into a black Toyota Camry. As he drove away, Norfolk officers responded quickly to the alarm and were flagged by bank staff who pointed out his vehicle. Veale managed to briefly lose the officers, but a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) alert went out immediately.
Chase Ends in Portsmouth
Veale crossed into Portsmouth, where members of the Fugitive Apprehension Unit picked up his trail. He was eventually boxed in at the end of a parking lot in an apartment complex. When officers arrested him, he still had the $36,500 in cash on him. The bank teller later positively identified him.
At trial, Veale pleaded not guilty and asked for a judge to decide the case. Judge Jamilah D. LeCruise found him guilty on all counts. His sentencing is scheduled for December 5.
Prosecutor: “Real Life Is Not the Movies”
Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi didn’t mince words in his response to the conviction:
“Real life is not the movies. Robbing a bank is a terrible idea, both dangerous and pretty much guaranteed to get a person caught,” Fatehi said. “Mr. Veale endangered himself and others with this ill-conceived robbery… we will seek a sanction against Mr. Veale that will hold him accountable.”
This case is part of a continued effort by Norfolk prosecutors to show zero tolerance for violent crime and threats to public safety — especially when they cross city lines and involve high-speed chases through residential areas.