Local police and the FBI continue to search for a young bald man who fled Chase Bank, in Cottonwood, with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The man, described as being in his mid-20s to early 30s, 5 feet 2 inches tall, wearing a fleece-type gray sweatshirt and blue jeans, walked into the bank at S. Main Street and Hwy. 89A shortly before noon on April 25.
According to witnesses, the man handed a teller a note demanding all of her money. She complied and the man left in an unknown vehicle in an unknown direction, according to Cottonwood Police Cmdr. Jody Fanning.
No one was harmed and no weapon was involved, Fanning said.
“We chased down a few leads, but they turned out to be dead ends,” Fanning said Thursday, April 26.
“I’d like to say we got him, but we’re still looking for him. We’re hoping somebody can tell us who he is,” he said.
CPD received reports the man was spotted near Riverfront Park and near Dairy Queen in Cottonwood, but searches of the areas were unsuccessful.
Immediately after the robbery, an unidentified bank employee stood outside the entrance to the financial institution and told customers the bank was closed “due to an emergency.”
She asked customers to come back in a few hours or go to Chase Bank branches in Camp Verde or Sedona.
The bank was locked down and only opened for employees, police and FBI agents, once they arrived.
Inside the bank, police officers and FBI agents were interviewing employees and talking on cell phones.
By 3 p.m., a sign on the front door, in English and Spanish, stated, “This branch will be closed today. We are sorry for any inconvenience.” The drive-through, however, opened at 3:30 p.m.
Assistant Vice President Business Banker Char Robinson said she could not give any other statements than that the bank is closed.
A call to the spokesperson at Chase Bank’s Phoenix headquarters gleaned no further information.
“We have a real firm practice that we don’t talk about robberies of our banks for the safety and security of our customers and employees,” Mary Jane Rogers said.
Fanning said anyone with information regarding the
incident or the identity of the man can call Silent Witness at
1-800-932-3232 or the Cottonwood Police Department at 634-4246.
