Bellingham police ID man suspected of robbing WECU, say he attempted earlier robbery
Bellingham police late Thursday announced that they have identified the man they suspect Monday robbed the Whatcom Educational Credit Union branch on Orleans Street.
Detectives identified the suspect as 24-year-old Leevi Allen Rosso, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email March 5. Rosso is wanted on probable cause for first-degree robbery, and police are actively seeking him, Murphy reported.
Rosso also is suspected in an attempted robbery at the Industrial Credit Union earlier Monday, Murphy reported.
According to Whatcom County Superior Court Documents, Rosso lives in Marysville and was already wanted on a warrant for unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful firearms, after Bellingham police found a sawed-off shotgun in the trunk of a car he was driving July 2 near Roosevelt Park.
The department asked for help in locating Rosso in a post on Twitter Thursday night, asking the public to call 911 if they see him, or contact them through the department’s online tip line at cob.org/tips, by phone at 360-778-8611 or by calling Detective Travis Hauri at 360-778-8791.
“Brave people who see something and say something help get dangerous robbery suspects off the street,” a follow up tweet said.
Rosso was described Monday as white, approximately 5-foot-5 and average build, wearing a black baseball cap, baggy pants and a Seahawks sweatshirt, according to information provided by Murphy.
At approximately 11:22 a.m. Monday, Rosso allegedly 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 robber 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, according to broadcasts, and the robber was seen running through a dental office before heading through some trails by Lowe’s.
A Facebook post by WECU at 12:08 p.m. Monday confirmed the branch was robbed but that there were no injuries and no weapon was used.
In addition to the warrant from July, court records show Rosso has previous felony convictions for robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, identity theft, possession of stolen property, theft, assault and vehicle prowling between 2010 and 2016 in Whatcom and Snohomish counties.
This story was originally published March 6, 2020 at 7:16 AM.
