US Bank robbery suspect at large

YAKIMA, Wash. -- A robber forced three tellers into a bathroom at a US Bank branch on Fruitvale Boulevard in Yakima before escaping Tuesday morning with an undisclosed amount of money, investigators said.

The man, who showed a handgun, tried to tie the bathroom door shut before he left, according to a news release from the Yakima Police Department.

No injuries were reported.

Police said the man forced open the back door of the bank, in the 1700 block of Fruitvale Boulevard, about 9:15 a.m. and confronted the three tellers who were there. The bank was not yet open.

The tellers were able to leave the bathroom and alert police, detectives said. The robber had already departed in an unknown direction.

Witnesses told police the man may have left in a vehicle, but no descriptions were available.

The man was described as black, in his mid-20s, 5 feet, 9 inches tall and about 140 pounds. He had a goatee with no mustache and was wearing a grey hoodie, khaki-colored shorts and dirty, burnt-orange-colored shoes.

Capt. Greg Copeland said some similarities exist between Tuesday's robbery and the robbery late Monday afternoon at Barton's Pharmacy, 1011 S. Spruce St. in Yakima. He couldn't confirm that there is a definite link.

The pharmacy robber, who made off with narcotics, was described as a 6-foot, 175-pound black male.

Last month, a man broke into a Banner Bank branch on Summitview, then waited for employees to arrive in the morning before demanding money. Officers were not able to find him.

Copeland said that case was also somewhat similar, but he had no immediate indication the Banner Bank robbery was connected to Tuesday's hold-up.

Anyone with information about the US Bank case may call the police department at 509-575-6200.