HARRISON –
The Harrison Police Department is seeking a man who robbed a local Kearny Bank branch last Friday, Oct. 21, and got away with more than $1,500.
Police said officers were sent to the Kearny Bank on the 500 block of Harrison Ave., at 1:41 p.m., in response to an activated teller and drive-thru window alarm.
Immediately after the alarm was tripped, officers were informed that the bank had been held up and the suspect had left the bank, police said.
After arriving at the scene, police viewed a bank surveillance video and radioed a detailed description of the suspect to patrol units and surrounding police jurisdictions.
He was listed as black, 6 feet, more than 200 pounds, with dark complexion and salt-and-pepper beard, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with the word “security” inscribed on its front and back in white lettering, dark blue pants, a dark-colored baseball cap, black sunglasses and black combat-style boots with pants tucked inside.
A patrol sweep of the area proved unproductive, police said.
At the bank, police secured the crime scene, dusted for fingerprints and interviewed witnesses.
On the basis of questioning those in the bank at the time, police said they learned that when the suspect entered the building, only one teller was on duty because three co-workers were at lunch and another teller was in the bathroom.
Police said the suspect approached the teller’s window and said, “Give me 100s and 50s,” but the teller apparently thought he was asking for change of $150. The suspect responded by demanding, “Give me everything.”
During this conversation, as shown by the bank video, the suspect was holding a flip phone up to his ear and had what appeared to be a small radio mic on his right shoulder, police said.
Police said the suspect repeated, “Give me all of it” several times and gestured with his right hand, as to reach down across his body where she could not see below the teller window. The teller then handed the money to the suspect, emptying her top drawer through the window, the suspect gathered up the cash and left the bank, police said.
Total proceeds taken was $1,549, police said.
The FBI was notified and the investigation is continuing, police said.
– Ron Leir
