CLINTON — A bank robbery in Clinton on Sept. 8 could be linked to a similar heist at the same bank in 2012, detectives say.
In both cases, someone made an anonymous 911 call to report an emergency happening miles away from the Wells Fargo on Highway 525.
Then, the bank was robbed.
Both heists remain under investigation, Island County sheriff’s detective Ed Wallace said Thursday.
In the Sept. 8, 2014, case, a man walked into the bank wearing a camouflage jacket, camouflage pants, gloves and a black mask covering the lower half of his face.
He waved what appeared to be a semiautomatic handgun but did not point it at anyone, Wallace said. That was just before noon.
The robber said he didn’t want to hurt anybody and demanded money from the tellers.
“Once he got that, he demanded one of their vehicles,” Wallace said.
A bank employee gave the man her keys and he took off in her sport utility vehicle.
The SUV was found abandoned on a county road about five hours later, Wallace said. The owner gave police permission to search it for fingerprints and DNA.
In Nov. 28, 2012, the fake 911 call before the robbery came from one of the few pay phones remaining on Whidbey Island. The call before the Sept. 8 robbery was made with a deactivated cellphone that could only call 911.
The 911 recording from the recent robbery has been sent out for voice analysis, Wallace said. The FBI also is assisting with the investigation.
Last week, police distributed the recording and surveillance stills from the bank in hopes of generating tips.
The suspect is described as about 6-foot to 6-foot-2 with a thin build. Anyone with information should call 360-679-9567.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
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