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Breaking news: Kelso bank robbed; suspect at large

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 5:52 PM PDT

By The Daily News

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A man wearing a black ski mask and toting a semiautomatic pistol lined up and pepper-sprayed employees and a customer at the West Kelso branch of Fibre Federal Credit Union on Tuesday afternoon.

He got away with an unspecified amount of money.

The employees and customers were treated by paramedics. None required hospitalization.

Kelso police borrowed Longview K-9 unit Bruno in an unsuccessful attempt to track down the robber, who left on foot on to West Main Avenue, according to Kelso police. The robbery occurred shortly after 4 p.m.

The robber was described as a white male in his late 20s weighing about 200 pounds and 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall with brown eyes. He was wearing a shirt with gray, vertical stripes, blue jeans and white shoes.

The robber does not match the description of the famed “pepper spray” bandit linked to a series of bank robberies in the region over a year ago, and police said his method of operation also differed.

If you have any information relative to this investigation, please contact Kelso police at 423-1270 or Crimestoppers at 577-1206.

For more on this story, see Wednesday’s edition of The Daily News.

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you gana really blame him wrote on May 13, 2008 6:22 PM:

" its all bushs falt if things did not cost and arm and a let them maby people would not have to do such drastic things he probaly needs to buy food for his family and gas for his car i for one dont blame him "

Beavis wrote on May 13, 2008 7:05 PM:

" I believe that all bank or credit union tellers should be able to pack guns to work and keep them at their work stations. I just don't understand. All it would take is a few robbers to get shot and killed and then all the dumbutt's would finally figure it out that maybe it's not a good idea to try and rob a bank. Seriously, it's just rediculous how things are today. I can't stress enough how lucky that guy was that I wasn't walking into that bank while he was in there. Things would have turned out differently, that's for sure. "

J. A. Long wrote on May 13, 2008 7:21 PM:

" It's beginning to feel like the old, wild west here in Cowlitz County lately. With out a doubling of our police forces the outlaws will continue feel like it's worth the risk. "

wrote on May 13, 2008 7:24 PM:

" No matter who is in fault here, please be in prayer for the employees at this branch I'm sure it was VERY traumatic for them all!!!! "

just me wrote on May 13, 2008 7:32 PM:

" This makes it really scary for these people to go back to work tomorrow, or the next day, I wish the police would catch the darn guy and throw him in jail for along time. "

Thank You wrote on May 13, 2008 7:45 PM:

" Thank you neighbor for reminding us all to say a prayer for all the people in our town who work in front of money. We hope the traumatized people today are all feeling better soon. This is too serious an event to make fun or wise cracks.

"

bobmyster wrote on May 13, 2008 7:52 PM:

" Well now that Longview has a panhandling law in effect it is now driving the poor to robbing banks in Kelso. Just Kidding.
For the first time I don't think this is Bush's fault but if we look hard enough I am sure we could figure something out. "

Liberal Dem wrote on May 13, 2008 7:56 PM:

" To the writer that states that all teller's should be able to have handguns at their workstations. You state that all it would take is a few robbers getting shot or killed and that would stop the problem. I think if just one customer were shot or killed that would be my last trip to the bank. But you could have a commercial that states all our customer service reps have been to gun safety school with Dick Chenney and that would really help. "

ohat wrote on May 13, 2008 7:59 PM:

" lets hope to god the employees are ok "

employee wrote on May 13, 2008 8:16 PM:

" My prayers are with all of you that work at the West Kelso Branch. I am saddend for what you faced today but happy you are all ok. We are a Credit Union family and we will get through this. "

concerned wrote on May 13, 2008 8:22 PM:

" my prayers are with all the people involved in this story, but for all the bashers, and dead heads? GET A LIFE !!! thanks tdn for letting me vent!!! "

enough wrote on May 13, 2008 8:33 PM:

" quit bickering about if they should or should not have guns, say a prayer for those affected and be supportive "

Greg wrote on May 13, 2008 8:39 PM:

" I went by there right after it happened, taking my son to his baseball game. I saw bruno the K-9 unit and an officer carrying a semi-automatic and knew something serious was going on. Some of you posters in here are totally off the wall. I guess anybody that wants to make a fool of there idiotic self may do so according to the TDN. Please give a moment to those that were victims in this incident. You crap talking fools are jack..... to thinkthat sort of stuff. Let's see how you are after some career criminal points a semi at you and orders you to the ground. Would you like it if I posted crap that states its Bush's fault or its to help feed his family. You make me ill!!!! "

Re Beavis wrote on May 13, 2008 8:42 PM:

" Yea, innocent people would have DIED. Nice post tough guy. "

Not to feed a family wrote on May 13, 2008 8:47 PM:

" That is rediculas... those who are in desperate mode to feed a family usually do not resort to violence and theft... they swallow their pride and get some help. Those who are feeding a meth habit do this kind of thing. Don't blame the poor family man, blame the habitual criminal/ the drug addict. It's all around us... wake up!
----------------
And why not more of a description of this person? Why not a photo from the video that they keep? Come on... this could be solved FAST if they would release that information ASAP! "

PS wrote on May 13, 2008 8:49 PM:

" what time was it? I drove past that bank four times this afternoon... Lots of people walking over the bridge... was one him? MORE INFORMATION PLEASE! "

Be aware be very aware wrote on May 13, 2008 9:55 PM:

" Thank god no one was shot during this robbery. He had a gun and if interference with his plan occurred, he would have probably used it. But now out there somewhere, there is this guy that probably is still armed and more dangerous than ever if anyone attempts to interfer with his escape. If he needs a ride or a place to hide anyone who comes in contact with him could be in serious danger. It is not safe to walk to your car in a parking lot or open your front door to anyone right now. If he is still in the area he is going to need the help of someone to prevent his capture and by now is desperate. Hope they catch this guy before he commits more crimes trying to run from this one. After all what has he got to lose now. Maybe he will find the guy that wrote "gona blame him" and borrow his car and wife to help him get out of the state. Then we will see who he want's to blame for that. "

Kim wrote on May 13, 2008 10:50 PM:

" I drove past the bank at 4 pm and saw officers walking with Bruno. I am also a member of the bank. I pray fro all that was involved. I am very happy no one got shot or hurt really bad. I am sure there were kids in there when this all took place... Everyone needs to think about all the people involved. My mother-in-law heard on the scaner that they may of found him but please dont hold me to that. Lets all just hope and pray that it was him that they found the guy that did this terrible crime. "

Kim wrote on May 13, 2008 11:08 PM:

" I drove past the bank at 4 pm and saw officers walking with Bruno. I am also a member of the bank. I pray fro all that was involved. I am very happy no one got shot or hurt really bad. I am sure there were kids in there when this all took place... Everyone needs to think about all the people involved. let hope they found the guy that did this terrible crime. "

Joe wrote on May 13, 2008 11:53 PM:

" I'm so sorry for the tellers. Nothing you can do when you have a man who is totally unstable and a gun in your face. People we must find this man. ok enough said here. Good luck officers. With our economy the way it is and gas going, going gone kinda attitude.What are we going to do. Does anybody see any kind of socialism here? "

cooter wrote on May 14, 2008 5:18 AM:

" how long did it take for Bruno to show up to track the robber? I mean there was pepper spray used, this scent would have been all over him. And to the robber, if your reading this: the one that needs to know what you have done, knows.This world may end up punishing you, but the one that knows, he will deal with you for sure. "

Kim wrote on May 14, 2008 6:32 AM:

" None of us should be pointing finger we all have the right to make choices and he made the choice to rob the bank and he will pay for it when he is caught. "

Pierce Co. Repub wrote on May 14, 2008 7:26 AM:

" Firefox has a built in spell checker... hint hint.. "

cooter wrote on May 14, 2008 8:14 AM:

" i hope he dont get caught "

Sabrina T. wrote on May 14, 2008 9:30 AM:

" I believe it time for Fibre Federal to have an armed guard on board now!!! Just food for thought!! "

to COOTER wrote on May 14, 2008 9:53 AM:

" You are a sick person! Maybe you are the robber! How could you wish such a thing! Sick Sick Person!!!!! "

Big Mike wrote on May 14, 2008 10:32 AM:

" He probably needed the cash to feed his family people don't do these crimes for no reason. "

NativeNYer wrote on May 14, 2008 11:50 AM:

" Hope all who were traumatized by this Ahole are okay. My mom worked in a bank for 20 yrs and was held up 3 times, once with an Uzi, and fortunately kept calm enough to put a tracking pack in with the money each time. Don't they have these in WA? They explode & blow red dye all over the perp & cash I believe within 10 minutes of activation. I think that would have ruined his day! And his cash flow. "

why blame bush wrote on May 14, 2008 2:08 PM:

" Why blame Bush I did not here he was in the area on tuesday, after reading the comments on this, I did not read anything on how it took our crack police dept. to take there time arriving on the seen, seems like it took long enough for them to responed, If the guy got away maybe we should look at who is protecting us before we blame push, I mean if it took as long as I heard for or crack police force to responed to the problem (or or police force on crack) "

ME wrote on May 14, 2008 2:09 PM:

" BIG MIKE - YOU'RE UNBELIEVABLE....PEOPLE ARE DESPERATE FOR WAY MORE THAN NEEDING GROCERIES! WHAT PLANET DO YOU LIVE ON? THIS WORLD IS FILLED WITH DRUG ADDICTS NEEDING THERE NEXT FIX....I HARDLY DOUBT THIS MAN ISN'T CAPABLE OF WORKING SOME KIND OF JOB TO BUY A FEW GROCERIES. "

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