Serial bank robber used Rolls-Royce as getaway vehicle in Oakland County
Rolls-Royce used by serial bank robber as getaway vehicle
Dorian Trevor Sykes fled police in a rented Rolls-Royce during an attempted traffic stop hours after he robbed a Chase bank in Oakland County, according to an unsealed complaint filed with the Eastern District of Michigan.
(FOX 2) - A man has been named in a federal complaint accusing him of robbing two banks and stealing more than $13,000 during separate incidents in March.
Dorian Trevor Sykes fled police in a rented Rolls-Royce during an attempted traffic stop hours after he robbed a Chase bank in Oakland County, according to an unsealed complaint filed with the Eastern District of Michigan.
What we know:
A task force officer with the FBI identified Sykes as the assailant behind two robberies that took place in March.
On March 6, a Black male entered the Credit Union One branch in Sterling Heights and handed the bank teller a piece of paper before telling the employee "this is a robbery" before demanding "big bills."
The teller handed him $10,169 and the suspect fled.
On March 12, the same man entered a Chase Bank branch in Lathrup Village and gave the teller a note stating "Give me all the money... I have a gun... I will kill everyone in here."
The teller handed the robber $3,400 who then fled in a parked Rolls-Royce SUV, according to surveillance footage from a nearby home.
Law enforcement later confirmed Sykes as the suspect before observing him in the area of MGM Casino. While attempting to pull him over, the Rolls-Royce fled.
What we don't know:
Sykes was last seen in the area of MGM Casino in Detroit. He fled law enforcement on the city's east side and police discontinued the pursuit.
He is still not in custody.
The backstory:
In mid-March, the owner of Southfield's Dream Luxury Car Rental told FOX 2 that a customer rented a Rolls-Royce for $1,750 a day.
Sam Zahar said he was unaware the Rolls-Royce was being used during a crime spree until he spotted the vehicle in a video on social media.
"This is my car," he said. "I got a screenshot and I tried to, that's my car. I (had) about probably four detectives by my house driving around thinking I stole the bank because the car is under my name."
The vehicle was later recovered with about $15,000 in damages.
Pricey Rolls Royce rental used in several Metro Detroit bank robberies
It was a highly expensive rental that was used to commit theft in southeast Michigan. That is what happened when a one-of-a-kind Rolls-Royce was rented and used in a string of thefts, and the owner was unaware.
Dig deeper:
Sykes has been arrested for robbery before.
According to the federal complaint, he was on supervised release since February 2024 for a conviction associated with a bank robbery in 2020. At the time, he was driving a black Mercedes sedan.
The same sedan was spotted leaving the scene of the first crime scene on March 6.
The Source: Previous reporting and information from a federal complaint was used for this story.