Chase Bank robbed shortly before closing

Police still searching for armed suspect

The Chase Bank on South Water Street was robbed Thursday afternoon. AMANDA SOWARDS | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: John Proppe

An armed man robbed the Chase Bank on South Water Street Thursday afternoon shortly before 4 p.m., police said.

Lt. John Altomare from the Kent police department said a man came into the bank brandishing a pistol and demanding money from the tellers.

After the teller gave him an undisclosed amount of money, the man left on foot in a north to northwest direction.

Police said there were five witnesses to the robbery, four tellers and one customer.

Tim Mak, teaching fellow in the College of Business Administration, said he was the last customer in the bank before it closed at 4 p.m. when the robber entered.

Mak said the man had a gun in one hand and a bag in the other. (Mak is a guest columnist for the Daily Kent Stater.)

“(The robber) said, ‘Put the fifties in the bag,'” Mak said. “The teller looked shocked, so he said, ‘Goddamn it, put the fifties in the bag.'”

Police tried to track the robber with a dog, but lost the trail, Altomare said.

The police report described the man to be about 6’2″ with a medium build. He was wearing blue jeans, a tan shirt and a white mask. He was carrying a blue plastic bag.

Anyone with information about the robbery can call the Kent police department at (330) 673-7732 or the FBI at (330) 535-6156.

Contact public affairs reporter Bryan Wroten at [email protected].