FBI Searching For Armed Bandit In Dade Bank Robbery
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The FBI has released images of a person that stormed into a West Miami-Dade bank Thursday armed with a gun as well as images of a stolen bakery van used in the crime.
The new pictures show a hooded bandit pointing a gun in various directions while inside a TD Bank at S.W. 74th Ave. and Bird Road.
The FBI says the bandit had walked into the bank around 11:15 a.m., fired at least two shots and demanded money from employees before getting away with an unknown amount.
Authorities showed up to the bank before noon. They found no one, employees or customers, was injured in the robbery.
Chopper4 was over the scene after the incident. Crime scene tape could be seen wrapped around the bank.
FBI Special Agent Michael Leverock told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "He entered the bank and fired off a couple of rounds at the roof and demanded money from a teller. He took money from an employee and left in a stolen bakery van. We recovered it in South Miami."
Leverock said, "We get robbers all the time, some of them with guns but anyone who opens fire in a bank is very dangerous. If you know this person or recognize his photo, don not approach him. He is very dangerous. Call 911."
Leverock said it was not known if he had robbed any other banks or was a serial robber.
At a Shell station next to the bank, employee Guillermo MacPherson said, "I heard 2 shots. They were fired inside the bank. I was scared and was hiding because bullets can go anywhere. It sounded like pow, pow, pow."
Authorities had been looking for the suspect or suspects near 68th Avenue and SW 72nd Street, earlier in the day.
Just before 1 p.m., authorities did find a stolen bakery van that the robber used to get away. The van was found in South Miami at 6300 Manor Drive.
No arrests have been made in the case. Investigators have not ruled out if the robber had accomplices.
Miami-Dade Police, Florida Highway Patrol, South Miami Police, and the FBI are working the investigation.
Anyone with information is urged to call the FBI at (754) 703-2000 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
