PORT ANGELES — The medical and residential area north of Sterling Savings Bank, 1033 E. First St., was cordoned off so law enforcement could search for the older man in a gray hooded sweatshirt who robbed the bank at gunpoint shortly after noon today.
The bandit fled with the currency from one teller’s drawer after asking for bills in $100 and $50 denominations, Port Angeles Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith told the Peninsula Daily News.
Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection helicopters plus officers from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Department, State Patrol and U.S. Border Patrol were helping Port Angeles police search for the robber, who reportedly fled on foot from the bank north on Chambers Street.
Helicopters were still hovering over east Port Angeles after 3 p.m., according to PDN reporter Paige Dickerson, who was at the scene.
Georgiana Street was reopened to normal traffic around 5 p.m. as the neighborhood search continued.
The neighborhood monitoring included Olympic Medical Center, which kept an eye who came in and out of the hospital for about 90 minutes after the robbery. The hospital is continuing to watch for anyone matching the description of the bandit, but it is open as usual.
The hospital district owns other buildings in the area and those were being closely monitored as well. Some in the vicinity of Caroline and Georgiana streets were locked down temporarily earlier this afternoon.
Law enforcement officers carrying automatic weapons were knocking on doors of residences in the area in an attempt to find the robber, who was described as being an older man, about 5-foot-5 or 5-6, wearing sunglasses and having sunken cheeks.
He was carrying a blue bag, possibly with money inside, a dispatcher said.
Anyone seeing someone matching the description or appearing like the robber in the accompanying bank snapshot is asked to call 9-1-1 or the Port Angeles Police Department at 360-452-4545.
Smith said the bandit brandished a handgun, so the man could still be armed.
The bank is between eastbound and westbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101 — First and Front streets — and traffic on the highway was impeded during the ground and air search.
This report will be updated as conditions warrant. A full report, including a page of photos of the robbery and manhunt by PDN photojournalist Chris Tucker, will appear in Tuesday’s editions.
