BLANCHESTER — The Blanchester Police Department is investigating a bank robbery that occurred at around 11:20 a.m. Friday.
Police were dispatched to Peoples Bank at 125 W. Main St. after a customer found the door to the bank locked and a note on the door indicating the bank was closed. Immediately after, police were notified that a robbery had occurred.
Officers arrived and learned that a Caucasian man entered the rear entrance of the bank, went to a teller window, stated he had a gun and asked for cash, according to Police Chief Scott Reinbolt. He said the teller gave him less than $1,500 and the man walked out of the front door of the bank, heading east on Main Street. The teller then notified the bank manager of the robbery, the bank manager closed the bank and called police, Reinbolt said.
Deputies with the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist, and Lt. Mike Kassinos of that office located an item that appears to have been dropped by the robber in a nearby alley. The FBI was notified of the robbery, and a crime scene technician from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation responded to the scene and collected several additional pieces of evidence, Reinbolt said.
“Several off-duty Blanchester police officers have been called in to work and are currently interviewing witnesses, running down leads and reviewing video tape from surveillance cameras in the area of the bank,” Reinbolt said.
Anyone who recognizes the robber or has information on the case is asked to contact the Blanchester Police Department at 937-783-4702. Anonymous tips can be left at extension 19.
