Bank robbers hit Chase again
Three men brandishing handguns robbed the Chase Bank at 1657 Garfield St. Wednesday, Port Huron police said.
Two of the men jumped over separate teller counters at 11:38 a.m. and grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash, while the third stood in front of the counters.
The men then left the bank parking lot east on Garfield Street in a white Plymouth Sundance, police said.
The car, which was reported stolen from Metro Detroit, was found abandoned in the 2900 block of 12th Avenue shortly after the robbery. Police said the three men most likely got into another vehicle at that site.
No one was injured in the robbery.
The incident was the fifth local bank robbery in less than a month. Four of those robberies have been in Port Huron.
Port Huron police Capt. Don Porrett said two of the men involved in Wednesday’s robbery are believed to have been involved in three of the others.
The men are described as:
A black male, about 6 feet tall with a thin build and protruding eyes. He was last seen wearing a black-hooded jacket with a white shirt underneath, denim shorts, sunglasses, black shoes and a dark bandanna over his nose and mouth.
A black male, between 5 feet, 6 inches tall and 5 feet, 7 inches tall with a thin build. He was last seen wearing a long-sleeved gray sweat shirt, denim shorts, a dark blue baseball cap with a gold emblem on the bill, an English-style ‘D’ on the front and dark blue-and-white checkers on the back, black shoes and a dark bandanna over his nose and mouth.
A black male, between 5 feet, 9 inches and 5 feet, 10 inches tall with a thin build. He was last seen wearing a gray long-sleeved shirt with a black T-shirt over it, denim shorts, a dark-colored and red baseball cap with a gold emblem on the bill, an English-style ‘D’ on the front and red-and-dark checkers on the back, black shoes and a dark bandanna over his nose and mouth.
The same Chase Bank branch was robbed by two black men July 11. A Citizens First Savings Bank branch on Hancock Street was robbed June 23 and July 7.
Chase Bank spokeswoman Nancy Norris declined to comment on the robbery but said bank officials are concerned.
Citizens First Savings Bank is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects.
“What’s very important to us is the safety of our customers and employees,” Norris said. “We will be looking at what our options are to improve security.”
She declined to comment further on the security issue.
An Eastern Michigan Bank branch on Krafft Road in Fort Gratiot was robbed June 27 by a man, police said. The robbery is not believed to be related to the four armed robberies in the city. That suspect is described as a white man, 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing more than 250 pounds.
“Keep your eyes open,” Porrett said. “Keep a vigilant watch as people come and go and watch your neighborhoods for people who dump cars.”
The latest robbery comes a day after Port Huron police had a meeting with local bank officials to discuss the rash of robberies.
Port Huron police Chief William Corbett on Tuesday proposed creating a committee of police and bank officials that would meet to discuss crimes and scams against area residents.
http://www.thetimesherald.com/apps/p.../60720001/1002
This makes 30 Bank Robberies this year in the county and 25 of them have been in Port Huron alone.
No wonder we became the Bank Robbery Capitol of the Country last year.
Police ask citizens to keep their eyes open but keep their distance
When witnessing bank-robber getaways or encountering suspects, police said people should resist the urge to act like heroes.
An attempt to stop, grab or restrain suspicious or fleeing individuals could put people in an unnecessarily dangerous position, Port Huron police Lt. Jim Jones said.
"People who rob banks are violent people," St. Clair County Sheriff Lt. Mike Bloomfield said.
Instead, citizens should gather information that could be helpful to police.
Local police are searching for suspects in a string of recent bank robberies.
Four Port Huron banks have been robbed by similarly described armed men since June 23. A fifth bank was robbed in Fort Gratiot by a different suspect.
The most recent robbery was Wednesday when three armed men robbed the Chase Bank branch at 1657 Garfield St., Port Huron, about 11:40 a.m. Wednesday.
Police have made no arrests.
The robbery suspects are considered armed and dangerous, Jones said.
Residents who spot suspects should strive to be good witnesses by inconspicuously taking in information about the suspects' clothing, features, actions and vehicles, Jones said. They should then immediately call the police.
Even if people do not spot a fleeing suspect, they should keep their eyes open for suspicious activity, such as a man wearing concealing, heavy clothing in 80-degree weather or jumping quickly into a car near a bank.
He said it is helpful for people to quickly write down what they see so they don't forget and are able to easily relay information.
Witnesses also should avoid speaking with people who witnessed the same crime, suspect or suspicious activity, Jones said.
"Perception can be changed in conversation," Jones said. "It is important we get what they have seen, not what they discussed."
Bank robbers hit Chase again
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