A third bank robber is now targeting Navy Federal Credit Union in the Washington area, although his attempt was thwarted by a courageous teller, the FBI said Monday.
There have been a series of robberies at Navy Federal Credit Union since September 2007 conducted by two unconnected thieves. A third robber surfaced Jan. 30 when he robbed a credit union at 2450 Crystal Drive in Arlington, the FBI said.
The robber entered the bank at about 2:40 p.m. and waited in line to see a teller. When he approached a bank teller he handed over a note in which he threatened to kill the teller if money wasn’t handed over immediately, the FBI said.
The teller refused to turn over the cash, and the robber fled empty-handed, the FBI said.
The robber is described as black, between 45 and 50 years old, about 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs about 165 pounds. He had a full, neatly trimmed beard and wore an Orioles baseball cap and dark brown sunglasses the day of the robbery.
Another thief robbed a Springfield Navy Federal Credit Union branch on Jan. 15. He wore a “Rastafarian” style hat and was between 6-feet and 6-feet, 2-inches tall. He appeared to weigh between 170 and 180 pounds and is in his late 20s or early 30s. The third thief has robbed at least four of the credit unions since September 2007.
In each of those robberies he was noted for his calm demeanor, and on Oct. 4, 2008, he pulled out a gun while robbing a Rockville branch. He ordered two tellers to take him to the bank’s vault and made off with cash from the vault and two tellers’ drawers. He is familiar with NFCU procedures, and authorities believe he might be a former bank employee or military member. The Navy Federal Credit Union is open only to employees of the Department of Defense and their family members.
Anyone with information on the robberies should contact the FBI Washington Field Office at 202-278-2000. For additional information on other bank robberies in the area, visit bankbandits.org.
