Serial bank robbers still at large
By: Nancy Cook
Updated: December 9, 2010
Yet another bank near the north Louisiana and Texas state line has been robbed, and patience is running thin among federal and local law enforcement working together to catch these lowlifes, who obviously have no respect for people who work hard and put their money in the bank to keep it safe.
David W. Welker, special agent in charge of the New Orleans Division of the FBI, Robert E. Casey, Jr, special agent in charge of the Dallas Division of the FBI, and Willie L. Shaw, Jr, Shreveport Police Chief, announced that the Dec. 2 robbery of the Texas State Bank-Haslam Branch, appears to be the work of the same scumbags responsible for possibly four other robberies.
An undisclosed amount of money was taken from each bank.
The latest robbery began at approximately 1:20pm, Dec. 2, when two black males wearing white hard hats, white dust masks, orange and yellow safety vests, sunglasses and gloves entered the Texas State Bank-Haslam Branch, located at 13218 HWY 84 East in Joaquin, Texas.
One man was described as approximately 6'-6'2" tall weighing 200-220 lbs , while the other was approximately 5'5"-5'7" tall weighing 120-130 lbs.
One robber demanded money while the other displayed a handgun and took the keys to a bank employees gold Chrysler. The robbers then fled the bank in the gold Chrysler, which was later found abandoned under the train trestle near the Sabine River approximately 1/4 mile southeast of the bank. It is believed the robbers fled this location in a newer model silver Ford pickup with Texas plates.
Other bank robberies believed to have been committed by the same individuals with similar descriptions include the Sterling Bank located at 2901 North Highway 157, Mansfield, Texas, which was robbed on Nov. 3.
The robbers fled the bank in a bank employee’s silver 2002 Ford Focus, which later was recovered.
Later that same day at approximately 12:45 pm, the Texas State Bank at 120 North Preston in Joaquin, Texas was robbed by two black males with similar descriptions as the robbers of the Sterling Bank. Again, a black semi-automatic handgun was displayed by one robber. They fled the bank in a bank employee’s red Dodge truck which, again, was later recovered.
On October 15, 2010 the Red River Bank located at 1020 Bridgewater Avenue in Shreveport, Louisiana was robbed at approximately 11:10 am, and the robbers fled in a bank employee’s dark green 2002 GMC Yukon, which once again, was later recovered.
During the robbery one of the robbers fired a black semi-automatic handgun hitting a wall.
On July 13, the Capital One Bank at 8386 Highway 171 in Grand Cane, LA was robbed by a black male described as about 6’2” wearing a white hardhat and a green reflective safety vest. He fired a black semi-automatic handgun into the ceiling and fled the bank on foot. It is believed he had an accomplice as a getaway driver.
Authorities are pretty much at their wits end with these guys, and are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the bank robber in the above image. Anyone with information should contact the FBI in Shreveport at 318-861-1890, the FBI in Dallas at 972-559-5000, the Shreveport Police Department at 318-673-6955, or the Shreveport-Caddo Parish Crime Stoppers at 318-673-7373.
