BB&T Bank Robber May Have Used I-81 For Getaway
David Crigger/Bristol Herald Courier
A Washington County, Va. Sheriffs Office K-9 team makes their way around the BB&T Bank building after Friday’s robbery.
Debra McCown
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By Debra McCown
Reporter / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: July 11, 2008
MEADOWVIEW, Va. – Investigators believe the man who robbed the BB&T Bank branch here may have made his getaway via nearby Interstate 81, authorities said
“It would’ve been real easy for him to have driven one of the secondary highways ... to get to the interstate too,” said Capt. Jack Davidson, head of the Criminal Investigation Division for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
He said a sheriff’s office K-9 picked up the suspect’s trail and led authorities up a hill from the bank, toward Meadowview Free Holiness Church. But the dog lost the trail.
“He may have had a vehicle parked at the church and left the area,” Davidson said of the suspect. No vehicle description was available Friday.
Davidson said no one was hurt when the bank near Exit 24 of I-81 was robbed shortly before noon. The amount of money taken had not been determined Friday afternoon.
Davidson said the robber entered the bank at 13191 Glenbrook Drive, leaped over the counter, emptied a cash drawer, jumped back across the counter and left the bank.
“He instructed the tellers behind the counter to lay down. They complied with the request,” Davidson said. “There was no indication he had a gun or any type of weapon.”
Davidson would not speculate on the motive for the crime, though Sheriff Fred Newman said many crimes in the county are drug-related.
“Most of our [property] crimes are committed by persons that want to support their drug habit,” Newman said.
Davidson said the suspect is believed to be a white male approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and 170 pounds. At the time of the robbery, he was wearing camouflage pants and a dark-colored long-sleeved shirt, with black shoes and gloves. He wore pantyhose covering his face.
Local, state and federal authorities are investigating the incident.
Anyone with any information about the robbery or the suspect should contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at (276) 676-6277.
| (276) 791-0701
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Posted by ( Ashley ) on July 16, 2008 at 9:31 am
You never know what people are capable of and just becasue you dont see a weapon doesn’t mean they didn’t have one. I work in a bank and I can tell you if anyone ran in with a mask on or what have you I and everyone in the bank would do as told by the robber. Your not going to ask him or her Hey where is your gun??
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Posted by ( mikeinabn ) on July 15, 2008 at 8:57 pm
This is pathetic, If I had only known a long time ago that I did not need a gun or even to threaten anyone to rob a bank. I mean just put on some panty hose on my head go in jump over the counter take the money and run. Where was the bank social security officer? Why did no one question if this man had a weapon or not? He did not rob the bank they let him have the money it sounds like to me. As far as most crimes like these being drug related this is most likely true. If the politicians in Abingdon and Bristol would quite stifling the growth in the area and let some industry and technology jobs come in here then people would have a place to work to earn a living instead of every Tom Dick, and Harry fighting for the one position open at the local Wal-Mart.
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