BELLINGHAM - The suspect in an armed bank robbery in Fairhaven remained at large Thursday, July 26, a day after he fled the crime scene on a red mountain bike.

Police released a security camera image of the suspect holding what appears to be a semiautomatic handgun in his left hand near the front exit of Banner Bank, 1414 12th St.

The man wore a dark bandana and wraparound sunglasses when he walked up to a teller at the bank about 1:30 p.m. and showed the gun, said Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young.

He got away with cash, but police declined to say how much. No shots were fired and nobody was hurt.

The suspect rode away on a "newer" red mountain bike, and was last seen westbound in the Harris Avenue area, Young said.

Witnesses thought he was in his 30s and about 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10. He had curly hair and a long black ponytail, but it could have been a wig. He wore black athletic shoes, a distinctive 3/4-sleeve baseball T-shirt and a dark blue baseball cap. The security photo also shows him wearing white gloves.

Police scoured the surrounding area - from downtown Bellingham to Teddy Bear Cove - with help from a federal border helicopter Wednesday. In the afternoon officers stopped two suspects who matched the description, but they were released within minutes.

The search went cold for a few hours.

At 6 p.m., the helicopter was dispatched again to a report of a possible sighting of the suspect on the Interurban Trail. A man was detained on Chuckanut Crest Drive, but no arrest was made in connection to the robbery.

Anyone with information should call 911. Tips can also be passed along to Detective Gina Crosswhite, 360-778-8835.

Reach CALEB HUTTON at caleb.hutton@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2276.