Police: Tylerdale bank robber calm during encounter
Police at the scene of a robbery Monday at the Washington Financial bank on East Wylie Avenue in Washington
A sign directs customers to other locations after an armed robbery Monday at the Washington Financial branch in the Tylerdale section of Washington.
A surveillance photo shows a robber armed with rifle Monday at the Washington Financial branch on East Wylie Avenue in Washington’s Tylerdale area.
Washington police are searching for a man who was armed with a rifle when he robbed the Tylerdale branch of Washington Financial at 98 E. Wylie Ave. Monday.
Just before 11 a.m., a lone gunman wearing head-to-toe black produced a long-barrel, collapsible gun and demanded large bills from three tellers.
The man, about 6-foot-1 to 6-foot-2, wore gloves, a long black coat and what police described as a military-style hat. Two of the tellers described him as a black man with medium-tone skin, but police said only a small portion of his face and eyes were visible, so his race was not certain.
Washington police Lt. Dan Stanek described the robbery as unusual because the man appeared very calm and took the time to take money from three tellers.
“I wouldn’t classify it as a takeover, but it was very brazen – going to multiple tellers, producing a long-arm rifle, multiple customers in the bank,” Stanek said.
Stanek said the robbery also was atypical in that the man didn’t pass a note to the teller, he didn’t try to hide his gun and he struck while customers were in the bank.
There were eight to 10 people in the bank during the robbery.
“He was very direct, but not rushed,” Stanek said. “I can’t really say he was military, but it seemed with the outfit he was wearing and his demeanor that he had either done this type of crime before and/or had military or police training.”
After getting the money, the man collapsed the gun, stopped in the foyer of the bank to adjust his clothing and walked toward Jefferson Avenue. Stanek said the man didn’t start to run until getting past the parking lot. It isn’t known if the man got into a vehicle.
Police are checking surveillance video from neighboring businesses. Several bank employees told police they noticed the man loitering outside before the robbery but didn’t think his clothing was unusual because it was a cold morning.
Stanek said police are not sure if the gun was real or fake.
The same bank was robbed May 19 by John Davis Manning of Hickory, who also confessed to bank robberies in Peters Township and Castle Shannon.
Anyone with information can call 724-223-1386.