Robber assaults bank teller during brazen heist - NBC12 - WWBT - Richmond, VA News On Your Side

By Tara Morgan - bio | email

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, VA (WWBT) - A robber attacks a bank teller during a brazen heist. The crook is still on the run, but he was caught on tape.

It happened at the Virginia Commonwealth Bank on The Boulevard in Colonial Heights. The gunman assaulted one of the tellers but he's going to be okay. Customers say it's a sign of the times.

Fast and furious. The gun toting robber storms into the bank like he means business.

"Carrying a semiautomatic black handgun demanded cash from the tellers," said Colonial Heights Police Lt. Dann Ferguson.

Behind the camera, the violence escalates. The robber hit one of the tellers on the forehead with the butt of his gun.

"He wasn't provoked by the tellers the tellers were doing what he instructed them to do so we don't know why he assaulted that teller," said Lt. Ferguson.

Police say the gunman was in the bank for about a minute and once outside he hopped in the passenger seat of a getaway car. Police recovered some of the money behind the bank.

"I come up here almost every day to do some kind of transaction and it's just unreal," said customer Anet Maple.

"Nobody deserves to get hit in the head for money," said customer Douglas Jackson.

Jackson found out about the robbery when he tried to get into the bank lobby and the doors were locked. Only the drive thru was open.

"I would have liked to have been there, what would you have done? well I teach mixed martial arts I guess I would have assessed the situation first I wouldn't want anyone getting shot but if I thought someone was in danger I would have disarmed him,"said Jackson.

Not something police would recommend in such a volatile situation.

"Willing to hurt someone to get money from them that does concern us that speaks that will do just about anything," said Lt. Ferguson.

The gunman and driver were last seen in a black Nissan Maxima with partial plate "K-N" or "K-M". Call Crime Solvers at 748-0660.

No customers were in the bank at the time. Other banks in the area were warned to be on the lookout.

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