A dye pack did its job in New Haven last week, staining the clothing of a suspected bank robber and helping police track him down.
According to police, 38-year-old Derrell Soulds demanded money from a teller at the Webster Bank on Elm Street Thursday, handing over a note that read, "Empty all the drawers or get shot."
The teller handed Soulds a wad of cash with a hidden dye pack.
As Soulds was running from the scene, the dye pack exploded all over the money and his clothes, staining them red. Police said he stripped off his sweatshirt and dumped it in an alleyway near Orange and Elm streets, along with some of the red-stained bills.
Police tracked him to the back of the courthouse at 121 Elm Street, where a trail of dye indicated Soulds had climbed a fence.
Soulds got away from police, but authorities said they identified him based on his alleged involvement in a Waterbury bank robbery the previous day.
On Friday, police received a report that dye-soaked money had been used to purchase a pizza in New Haven. The tip led them to Soulds, who was also wanted for violation of parole, according to police.
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He was taken into custody on an outstanding arrest warrant from Waterbury.
Soulds was arrested in connection with the New Haven robbery on Monday and charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, second-degree threatening and possession of narcotics.
He remains behind bars on $200,000 bond.
