A $1,000 reward is now being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the man responsible for last Thursday afternoon’s robbery of the Northeast Georgia Bank on Hwy. 441.
The Banks County Sheriff’s Office received the call just before 1 p.m. Thursday and officers were on the scene within minutes. A black male, wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap and white shirt and pants, entered the bank and told a teller he wanted $50 and $100 dollar bills. He then told the teller, “I’m serious.”
The suspect made off with less than $6,000, Banks County sheriff Charles Chapman said. He reportedly folded the money into his hands and left the scene.
The suspect was tracked by a K-9 officer through the bank parking lot but the trail was lost. Chapman said he believes the suspect left in a vehicle and that a cream colored Honda Civic was scene going around the bank twice around the time of the robbery.
Officers immediately processed the scene and recovered one “good” print, Chapman said, as well as a thumbprint and a shoe print. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the case.
“We were fortunate there was nobody (customers) in the bank at that time,” said Rick Massey, senior vice-president and manager of North Georgia Bank. “We had a couple of people in the drive-through, but none inside. He was in here a minute, maybe a little longer.”
After the suspect left, employees quickly locked the doors and called 911 and cordoned off the door and area of the teller line to help preserve the crime scene. Staff members filled out “robber incident forms” trying to preserve all details.”
The bank stayed closed the remainder of the afternoon as the BCSO and GBI processed the crime scene.
