Police responding to 2 reports of bank robberies
Police were called to PNC Bank on Washtenaw at Huron Parkway in Ann Arbor at 9:56 a.m.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
About 9:56 a.m., Ann Arbor police responded to the PNC Bank at 3250 Washtenaw, where a man walked inside, implied he had a weapon and passed a note to a teller, demanding money, Lt. Mark St. Amour said. The man fled with an undisclosed amount of cash, St. Amour said.
According to a dispatch at 10:03 a.m., the man may have driven away in a blue Grand Prix or Grand Am. He may have been traveling eastbound on Washtenaw, dispatchers said. The bank is at the corner of Huron Parkway, about 1/2-mile west of US-23.
The robber was described as black, wearing a black and purple plaid shirt and sunglasses. He also had dreadlocks, according to police, and was believed to have been traveling alone.
In the second incident, which appears to have been reported at about 10:15 a.m., Washtenaw County Sheriff's deputies were responding to a report of a bank robbery at Bank of America, 2250 W. Michigan in Ypsilanti Township.
Police dispatchers alerted officers that three suspects were sought, two men and a woman. At least one wore a mask during the robbery, according to dispatchers.
That bank is located at Michigan Avenue and Hewitt, just south of the Walmart-anchored shopping center on Ellsworth. Police were alerted that a vehicle believed to have been connected to the suspects had been located behind the store. Sheriff's department spokesman Derrick Jackson could not be reached for comment.
St. Amour said there's no indication the robberies are related.
Staff reporter Lee Higgins contributed to this report.
Comments
newsboy
Wed, Aug 17, 2011 : 1:53 p.m.
I see no security measures in the bank video. The banks are so thrifty that they endanger the customers and bank employees. The cost of banks to the tax payers and customers is unbelievable. If it where my insurance company and I didn't do more to safe guard my valuables, I would not be covered. I believe our officers are over worked and under paid to cover such a large populated areas.
xmo
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 8:31 p.m.
Isn't this a sad note about our community? Ann Arbor, one of the best educated communities in the Nation, Home of a number of leading Universities and we still have criminals that insist on doing uneducated and outdated crimes? Where are our community Colleges at? They need to offer courses on "internet Crimes", Besides endangering the planet by driving his Car and emitting CO2 he could have hurt someone with a gun. If this guy was smart, he could have done this from his living room, hurting no one and saving the planet by simply using a PC> Come On Criminals, Get Smarter!
Ron Granger
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 6:51 p.m.
People actually still do business with Bank of America? Shocking.
pbehjatnia
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 6:33 p.m.
I dont know about anyone else, but I am comletely comfortable with bank robbery, stabbing, shooting and rape. Why? Because my city leaders, my elected officials, my chief of police tell me that all is well and it is all just a matter of perception. Thankfully my rose colored glasses coordinate with my outfit today.
Really?
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 5:15 p.m.
Ann Arbor is welcoming, with open arms, all criminals and arsonists. But don't worry folks... they Mayor is completely comfortable with his 'experiment'. Bank robbers and arsonists will be able to use AA as a training ground.
A2Medic
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 11:34 p.m.
Really, have you not been laid off yet??
Really?
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 9:32 p.m.
Let's see... a city with 114,000 residents + students and 3 AA officers on the road at a time on average. Know what you're talking about before letting your fingers roam the keyboard.
mun
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 6:17 p.m.
Yeah that's right. I mean it's not like there's crime happening outside of Ann Arbor, right?
Tony Martin
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 4:47 p.m.
Got my ccw
grimmk
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 4:27 p.m.
How much did they get away with?
Soothslayer
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 5:20 p.m.
It doesn't matter & won't ever be disclosed as it won't assist the officers if the general public knows the figure. I'd have thousands of dollars in rolled coins available in a bag for this very purpose to hand over, you want it bad enough go ahead and carry it. At least it would weigh them down when fleeing. Then just check all the CoinStar's in the area and boom, you've got your perp.
Paula Gardner
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 4:56 p.m.
We just added that it's an "undisclosed amount." Police rarely release this information, but as we've had opportunities to talk to offers as this story unfolded, we did ask.
Jack Gladney
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 3:48 p.m.
"Lt. Angella Abrams of the Ann Arbor Police Department said there is no indication that the two heists are connected." Hopefully that angle is being persued. Sounds like they could very well be related (a diversion tactic?). It seems to me that there was a similar type of situation a few years ago when two Ann Arbor banks were hit within minutes of each other.
YpsiLivin
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 8:35 p.m.
There's still nothing to indicate that these two robberies were/are connected. Simple coincidence.
Paula Gardner
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 6:03 p.m.
Here's a recap, with links to the original coverage, of what you may be recalling - the Packard/Eisenhower robbery. <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/suspect-indicted-in-ann-arbor-area-bank-robberies/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/suspect-indicted-in-ann-arbor-area-bank-robberies/</a>
Jack Gladney
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 5:59 p.m.
Yspi I fail on the details. but I recall two separate incidents on a morning a few years ago. One was on West Stadium and the other was on Packard & East Stadium. The hold ups were within minutes of each other. I don't think I am making this up. (A little help a2.com?)
YpsiLivin
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 5:49 p.m.
Jack, You're giving these criminals way too much credit. First, people who commit crimes (especially bank robbery) aren't usually smart enough to get away with robbing the bank, much less coordinate semi-simultaneous crimes Hollywood-style. Bank robberies are among the most-solved of the major crimes. Banks expect to get robbed and they're ready for the robbers who show up. Sure, the criminals might get away with the money, but their odds of getting caught (eventually) are almost overwhelming. Second, the two banks that were robbed were in completely different (non-contiguous) policing jurisdictions. The PNC bank is in Ann Arbor; the Bank of America is in Ypsilanti township. The AAPD will investigate one; the Sheriff's Office will investigate the other with no noticeable difference in the policing abilities of either department. What could possibly be the benefit of staging two semi-simultaneous robberies besides increasing the robbers' opportunity to get caught?
Tony Dearing
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 3:41 p.m.
Comments have been removed because they violated our conversation guidelines. We ask you to not post comments that use a crime incident to make derogatory remarks about an entire community or communities. Thanks.
Peter
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 6:04 p.m.
Delicious irony.
pvitaly
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 4:53 p.m.
I rarely see you guys remove comments that bash on an entire community. Nice job.
EyeHeartA2
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 3:21 p.m.
My bank will not allow sunglasses, hoods or hats. - 'For the protecion of employees'.
Ricebrnr
Tue, Aug 16, 2011 : 1:35 a.m.
Can't wait for someone in a burkha or similar sue with the assistance of the ACLU of course.
Ron Granger
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 11:10 p.m.
What bank, in what city? Too bad they don't ban wearing too much makeup or perfume. Does their policy say anything about wigs, fake beards, or contact lenses to change eye color?
nowayjose
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 6:34 p.m.
Seriously? You think a policy is going to stop a guy from coming in and robbing a bank?
Ricebrnr
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 5:25 p.m.
"The main issue is it doesn't stop someone from coming with the had & sunglasses onn at which point the staff may have a heightened sense of security. " Wait! You mean a prohibition on something won't stop a criminal from doing it anyway???? Really!?!? Man good to know...
Soothslayer
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 5:14 p.m.
It's so they can get a potential perp on video or at least the perp knows they will have them on video. The main issue is it doesn't stop someone from coming with the had & sunglasses onn at which point the staff may have a heightened sense of security. No one anywhere should feel unsafe at their workplace or school.
genericreg
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 3:12 p.m.
Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 Purposely discloses or endeavors to disclose to any other person the contents of any wire, electronic or oral communication, or evidence derived therefrom, knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through the Interception of a wire, electronic or oral communication; or
beantsee
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 2:39 p.m.
Now see, THIS seems like the kind of article that you should be tweeting -- I just got a tweet about the article about the West Willow. Weird when this is going on?
Thomas Jones
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 2:30 p.m.
@ Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE Ditto and well written!!!!!
nickcarraweigh
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 2:23 p.m.
Maybe the police will encounter automobiles with their engines needlessly idling in the bank parking lot, take a few minutes off to write some $100 tickets, and generate much needed revenue for the city.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 3:25 p.m.
maybe the bank robber idled his car in which case the the charges have just been elevated.
Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 2:15 p.m.
10:15 am. My doors are locked, and my piece is cocked. I am to close for comfort on this one.
Soothslayer
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 5:16 p.m.
Wow, that's great but they probably won't be barging in to rob your "bank". I feel bad for the neighbor, UPS, USPS or friend though that may unwittingly visit your domicile though. Today was a good day, I didn't even have to use my AK. /thuglife
Mark
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 2:47 p.m.
Dude!