Bellingham police ask for help in finding suspect following Monday’s bank robbery
Bellingham police are asking for help locating a man who robbed the Whatcom Educational Credit Union branch on Orleans Street Monday morning.
The man is described as white, in his mid to late 20s, approximately 5-foot-5 and average build, wearing a black baseball cap, baggy pants and a Seahawks sweatshirt, according to information provided by Lt. Claudia Murphy in an email to The Bellingham Herald.
A photo of the suspect posted by Bellingham police to Facebook showed the man wearing glasses.
At approximately 11:22 a.m., the man walked into the WECU and made demands for cash, Murphy reported. No weapons were displayed or implied, before the man ran from the bank and headed southbound on foot.
Unconfirmed radio emergency broadcasts at the time said the man did get away with money.
Police set up a perimeter in the area around the bank while they searched for the man and called for a K-9 to track him. Omaha, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter, also was joining the search, according to broadcasts.
The man was seen running through a dental office before heading through some trails by Lowe’s, radio broadcasts said.
A Facebook post by WECU at 12:08 p.m. confirmed the branch was robbed but that there were no injuries and no weapon was used.
The post went on to say that the drive-up window is open to serve members, but the lobby is closed.
Murphy said not to approach the suspect if you see him, but call 911 immediately. Tips can also be filed through the Bellingham Police Department’s online tips site, by phone at 360-778-8611 or by calling Detective Travis Hauri at 360-778-8791.
This story was originally published March 2, 2020 at 11:48 AM.
