Comerica Bank robbed; Carpenter Elementary School put on lockdown
Pittsfield Township police are investigating a bank robbery at the Comerica Bank at 2795 Carpenter Road on Wednesday that prompted authorities to lock down Carpenter Elementary School for 30 minutes, an Ann Arbor schools spokeswoman said.
Pittsfield Township police remained at the scene an hour after this morning's bank robbery on Carpenter Road.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Liz Margolis said Carpenter was put on lockdown while police searched for suspects, who had fled the area on foot. Margolis said investigators had told the school it was safe to come out of lockdown, but did not tell schools that the suspects had been arrested.
More information on the bank robbery was not immediately available from Pittsfield Township police officials Wednesday morning. Police are still in the area investigating the incident.
Update at 12:25 p.m.: The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Pittsfield Township Public Safety Department in searching for the suspects, according to spokesman Simon Shaykhet.
Update at 1:43 p.m.: Pittsfield Township police are searching for a man wearing a full latex mask, dark blue hooded sweatshirt, gloves and faded jeans with a heart and a patch on one of the rear pockets.
Police were sent to the bank at 11:28 a.m. for a report of a robbery. The man was last seen heading north toward the office complex next to the bank, according to police.
Update at 2:41 p.m.: According to police, the man walked into the bank showing a handgun and ordered the teller to give him money. The clerk complied and the man fled the area on foot, police said.
A picture of the suspect in Wednesday's bank robbery in Pittsfield Township
Courtesy of Pittsfield Township polce
The University of Michigan Department of Public Safety's K-9 unit conducted a search for the man but couldn't find him, according to police.
There were no injuries in the incident. Police said the mask the man was wearing was toned to reflect caucasian skin and he was about 5-feet-6 to 5-feet-8 inches tall.
Anyone with information on the incident is encouraged to call the Pittsfield Township police at 734-822-4911.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Tru2Blu76
Tue, Jun 12, 2012 : 1:32 a.m.
It's that simple??!! I guess I'm doing semi-retirement wrong. Handgun: check. Feet for escape from bank robbery: check. A few robberies like that and you've paid for your gun and costumes many times over. This guy is a real entrepreneur, like our governor only without the pre-existing fortune.
RJA
Thu, Jun 7, 2012 : 2:14 a.m.
I see nothing pertaining to 11:28 p.m. in the bank robbery.For those that don't know ( a minute after midnight is a.m. and and a minute after noon is p.m.) Lock downs are good, never know where the suspect has run off to. I just hope the suspect is caught soon.
u812
Thu, Jun 7, 2012 : 12:21 a.m.
Are bank robberies up under Snyder's policy's towards the general populace.
AfterDark
Thu, Jun 7, 2012 : 12:34 a.m.
Bank robberies were up long before Snyder took office.
sh1
Thu, Jun 7, 2012 : 12:05 a.m.
I don't understand the policy of putting schools on lock down after a bank robbery. I can see bringing kids in off the playground if it's near where the robbery occurred, but I can't imagine the scenario a lock down is trying to avoid.
squidlover
Thu, Jun 7, 2012 : 4:07 p.m.
Anybody can walk into the school and act like they're a parent - doors are open! My kids spent the lockdown time huddled under the coat racks in their classroom with the teacher reading them a story. fun stuff. 3rd lockdown at Carpenter this year!
treetowncartel
Thu, Jun 7, 2012 : 2:33 a.m.
Uhm, hello, hostage situation if they are being chased and run into the school. They lock all doors, to the school and the classrooms, so the perp has a hard time getting in.
u812
Thu, Jun 7, 2012 : 12:20 a.m.
So people don't sue the school if there child is Traumatized.
mite
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 10:49 p.m.
There is vermin everywhere in that area.
amlive
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 10:25 p.m.
Money stolen, FBI immediately gets involved. Woman gets pistol-whipped and a gun held to her toddler's head a few moments and miles away, and the township police can handle it on their own. Agencies like the FBI has to save their resources to protect Jackson, Grant, and Franklin.
Smiley
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 7:21 p.m.
"...jeans with a heart and a patch on one of the rear pockets." That's pretty good, but my favorite is when they have unique tattoos showing. Once knew of a repeat felon who had 'PAIN' in Old English lettering tattooed across his forehead.
Dave
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 7:16 p.m.
How come no one checked if they got on AATA?
Goober
Thu, Jun 7, 2012 : 11:21 a.m.
Good point. I understand that more people are riding AATA these days. I am sure the robber had the correct change for the fare.
Mike H.
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 5:57 p.m.
"Police were sent to the bank at 11:28 p.m. for a report of a robbery." Wouldn't the bank be closed at this time of night?
mite
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 10:46 p.m.
Try reading it again.
djacks24
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 9:17 p.m.
"Is it just me or is there a comment in every single article where they've pointed out some fairly blatant error that has soon after been correct?" Nope, not just you. I've never seen such a poorly edited information source. As screwed up as the city itself.
hail2thevict0r
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 6:46 p.m.
Is it just me or is there a comment in every single article where they've pointed out some fairly blatant error that has soon after been correct?
Julie Baker
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 5:59 p.m.
Indeed. We've corrected the fact that it was a.m.
grimmk
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 5:55 p.m.
I was just there after it happened. If I hadn't forgotten my checks and had to drive home I would have been there. This is so not cool. This is the second time this is happened. I hope all the people are ok. They are so nice and don't deserve what happened to them.
Jimbo
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 5:16 p.m.
Good thing nobody had a CPL and was carrying.
Greggy_D
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 9:45 p.m.
Because you are a mind-reader, Irish? You know every robbers' intent? You know they will not harm you?
Irish
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 9:23 p.m.
The new CPL owner would end up shooting the bank employee instead of the robber. CPL is used for person defense. The robber was after money, not the CPL owners life. This is why people look down at people who get CPL's.
SMC
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 7:38 p.m.
Yes, they might have cowered in fear and wet themselves like everyone else.
MgoBlueMomma
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 5:07 p.m.
Hope the staff is ok and that they catch the idiot that did it.
fjord
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 4:47 p.m.
So that's what happened to Simon Shaykhet.
stevek
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 5:18 p.m.
Yes, he does public affairs for the FBI
Dave
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 4:29 p.m.
So close to the sheriff's station....pretty ballsy.
AfterDark
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 6:17 p.m.
Glencoe Hills and Arbor Pointe are right by the sheriff's office, too, but still have a lot of trouble - and have for years! It amazes me how often a bank robber leaves the scene on foot...
Mike
Wed, Jun 6, 2012 : 4:59 p.m.
The number of police officers in the area was obviously not a detterent. Desperate people commit crimes as the opportunity presents itself. Hope they catch them soon............