Former KC-area police officer robbed a bank at gunpoint, federal prosecutors say

A former police officer is charged with robbing a bank at gunpoint in Lee’s Summit, according to federal prosecutors in Kansas City.

Richard W. Hagerty, a former Lee’s Summit police officer, was armed with a pistol when he robbed Central Bank of the Midwest of about $7,000 in cash Tuesday morning, according to a news release from Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Lee’s Summit police responded to the robbery about 11:20 a.m.

During the robbery, prosecutors say, Hagerty pointed a pistol at a customer and yelled “Everybody get down on the floor, this is a robbery.”

Witnesses told police the robber was wearing black gloves and a camouflage balaclava-style mask that covered part of his face.

Soon after, police spotted a Mazda suspected to be have been used in the robbery and a high-speed pursuit ensued. The chase ended in Grandview, and Hagerty was taken into custody without incident.

Prosecutors say Lee’s Summit officers “immediately recognized Hagerty” when he exited the vehicle.

Hagerty, 35, worked for the Lee’s Summit Police Department from 2007 to 2016, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Inside the Mazda, prosecutors said, officers found “a large amount of cash” and a Glock .40-caliber pistol.

By Wednesday, Hagerty was charged with bank robbery and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.

He remains in federal custody. A court date has not yet been scheduled.