Bank robber makes getaway on inner tube
MONROE, Wash. -- Police here say a man who robbed an armored car driver at a bank Tuesday morning jumped into the Skykomish River on an inner tube to get away.
Officers are searching the water and riverbank, and a Sheriff helicopter was circling the area, but so far there's no sign of the man.
Police spokeswoman Debbie Willis said the man robbed an armored car driver at the Bank of America branch at 19917 Old Owen Road about 11 a.m.
Mitch Ruth, who works across the street from the bank, said the robber sprayed the armored car driver with pepper spray and wrestled a bag of money away from the driver.
Ruth said he first spotted the robber pacing along the bushes outside the bank while holding a garden sprayer and wearing a surgical mask, a wig and sunglasses.
"(He) looked like a worker working on the grounds or around," said Ruth.
When the man took off with the money, Ruth tried to chase the man down but lost him in the woods.
"He was a lot faster than I was," he said. "I was never able to see his face."
Investigators said the robber was carrying a gun.
The bank did not disclose the amount of money it lost, but a former bank teller said judging by the size of the bag taken from the armored car driver, she believes the robber made off with about $50,000.
Officers are searching the water and riverbank, and a Sheriff helicopter was circling the area, but so far there's no sign of the man.
Police spokeswoman Debbie Willis said the man robbed an armored car driver at the Bank of America branch at 19917 Old Owen Road about 11 a.m.
Mitch Ruth, who works across the street from the bank, said the robber sprayed the armored car driver with pepper spray and wrestled a bag of money away from the driver.
Ruth said he first spotted the robber pacing along the bushes outside the bank while holding a garden sprayer and wearing a surgical mask, a wig and sunglasses.
"(He) looked like a worker working on the grounds or around," said Ruth.
When the man took off with the money, Ruth tried to chase the man down but lost him in the woods.
"He was a lot faster than I was," he said. "I was never able to see his face."
Investigators said the robber was carrying a gun.
The bank did not disclose the amount of money it lost, but a former bank teller said judging by the size of the bag taken from the armored car driver, she believes the robber made off with about $50,000.