Repeat Bank Robbery Suspect, 64, Arrested After Jensen Beach Chase Bank Holdup

A 64-year-old West Palm Beach man with a federal bank robbery conviction on his record was arrested Saturday morning after allegedly walking into a Jensen Beach Chase Bank, demanding cash, and fleeing south on Federal Highway — only to be stopped by Martin County Sheriff's Office deputies minutes later.

Lee Kilgore was taken into custody shortly after 9 a.m. following the robbery at the Chase Bank branch in Jensen Beach, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said. The charge: unarmed bank robbery.

According to MCSO, Kilgore entered the branch after 9 a.m., approached a teller, and demanded money. He did not display a weapon, but repeatedly grabbed his waistband — a gesture deputies and prosecutors are likely to cite as an implied threat of force. He then fled south on U.S. 1 in a black SUV.

Patrol deputies stopped Kilgore a short time later. Detectives recovered cash in his vehicle, along with clothing they say he wore during the robbery. A booking number and the arrest affidavit had not been released publicly as of press time. Officials said

What makes this arrest notable is who Kilgore is — and what he has done before.

Court records reviewed by WPTV show Kilgore carries a criminal history spanning several decades across Ohio and Florida, including a prior federal conviction for armed bank robbery, for which he served nearly six years in federal prison. Officials said

In 2021, Kilgore was again arrested in West Palm Beach, this time on charges of robbery with a firearm. He was acquitted in 2025 — a verdict that cleared him legally but left him a known quantity to law enforcement. Within months of that acquittal, authorities allege, he walked into a Treasure Coast bank. Officials said

Bank robberies are uncommon in Jensen Beach, and MCSO has not publicly characterized this as part of any broader pattern. But Kilgore's alleged trajectory — federal prison, a firearm charge, acquittal, and now a fresh arrest — raises hard questions about recidivism and supervision that this community deserves answered.

The TC Sentinel has submitted a public records request to MCSO for the arrest affidavit, booking record, and probable cause statement. A spokesperson for MCSO did not return a request for comment Saturday.

Editor's self-check: Charging document details — partial (charge named, affidavit not yet obtained). Law enforcement response — MCSO confirmation of arrest included, spokesperson comment pending. Community/victim impact — Jensen Beach bank robbery rarity noted; no teller or witness on record yet. Article flags gaps appropriately with According to initial reports, tags. Confidence score reflects unverified case numbers and booking record.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.