Cops and the FBI are looking for a robber with above-average planning skills who forced the employees of a Peoria bank to open a cash vault.
On Tuesday morning, the man broke into a Christian bookstore right next to the Chase Bank at 8978 W. Union Hills, where he'd cut a hole in the wall at some earlier date, say Peoria police in a news release (reprinted below). When bank employees arrived, he crawled through the hole and held them at gunpoint, making them open the vault. He handcuffed the employees in the vault after taking cash and exited through the same hole.
Cops have no leads or suspects, but they did release the dramatic pictures in this post
Text of news release follows:
Bank employees robbed at gun point by suspect waiting in bank Peoria Police and FBI looking for leads
Date/Time Tuesday, March 24, 2009 7:40 am
Location Chase Bank, 8978 W. Union Hills
Suspect Hispanic or White male, 20-30 years old, 5'8" to 5'10" tall Blue jeans, gray long sleeve shirt, ski mask, black baseball type hat with unknown logo on front, white tennis shows, gray gloves Armed with a black semi-automatic handgun
On Tuesday March 24 at 7:40 am the suspect forced entry into the christian bookstore located one suite north of the Chase Bank at 8978 W. Union Hills and waited for bank employees to arrive. Upon arrival of the bank employees the suspect entered the bank through a pre-cut hole in the common wall between the bank and bookstore, confronted the employees at gunpoint and forced them to open the safe. The suspect took money from the cash vault and then handcuffed the bank employees leaving them in the vault room. The suspect exited the bank through the hole and then exited the rear of the bookstore.
There are no suspects or leads at this time and this robbery is being jointly investigated by the Peoria Police Violent Crimes Unit and the FBI.
If anyone has information regarding this robbery they are asked to call the Peoria Police Tip Line at 623-773-7045 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
