FAYETTEVILLE — A bank robber struck at First Federal Bank at the corner of College Avenue and Millsap Drive just before noon Thursday.
A white man in his 40s or 50s, with a buzz haircut, walked into the lobby of the bank, presented a note and demanded money, said Sgt. Shannon Gabbard of the Fayetteville Police Department. The man was wearing dark, khaki-colored shorts, a blue Tshirt, tennis shoes and a green or camouflage baseball cap, according to police.
The man showed the noteto the teller, but took it with him when he left, said police Cpl. Rick Crisman. The note demanded large bills, which video footage shows the robber stuffing into a small plastic sack.
The man fled the bank on foot, heading east through a strip mall and several businesses. Nobody reported seeing a vehicle, according to police.
Officers interviewed employees at area businesses and used search dogs in an attempt to develop more information, Gabbard said. Tracking dogs combed the neighborhood east of the bank for severalhours Thursday afternoon.
Police didn’t disclose how much money was taken.
The bank was closed following the robbery. Employees gathered in a loan office behind the bank.
The last bank robbery in Northwest Arkansas happened in December at an Arvest branch at the corner of Garland Avenue and Wedington Road in Fayetteville. Matthew Andersen, 29, of Elkins passed a note through the drive-through window demanding money.
Employees tripped the alarm, and Andersen rammed a car and almost hit two police officers trying to escape the scene. Detective David Williams shot and killed Andersen during the escape attempt. Reviews of the incident concluded Williams acted properly in the shooting.
The only unsolved Fayetteville bank robbery in active police files dates to 1994, Crisman said.
“We’re confident that somebody is going to recognize this guy,” he said.
Anyone with information regarding the robbery is asked to call Fayetteville police at (479) 587-3555 or the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (479) 443-3181.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 11 on 07/30/2010