| March 21,
2003 |
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| Bank
Robber Photos Released |
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| The FBI has released photographs of a woman who
robbed a Rutherford College bank yesterday after entering the building with a
gun and spraying a teller with pepper spray. |
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| Around 12:50 p.m. Thursday, a woman entered
First Citizen's bank, located at 711 Malcolm Boulevard, and pointed a
semi-automatic handgun toward teller Misty Brown, according to Detective Andrea
Whalen of the Burke County Sheriff's Office. |
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| The suspect demanded money and was given an
undisclosed amount, authorities said. |
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| The woman then placed a white cloth or
handkerchief over her own face and sprayed Brown with pepper spray, then exited
the building, Whalen said. |
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| Witnesses saw the woman jump into the passenger
side of a vehicle, which was described as a red late 80's model Toyota Celica
with dark tinted windows. The vehicle jumped a curb and left the bank
toward Highway 70 at a high rate of speed, according to Whalen. |
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| The Sheriff's Office was contacted and deputies
arrived within a minute from a nearby Sheriff's satellite office. A search by
Burke deputies, along with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Valdese
Police Department and Drexel Police Department did not locate the vehicle. |
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| Misty Brown was decontaminated from the effects
of pepper spray at the bank and did not require medical attention, Whalen
said. |
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| The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrived and
took custody of the bank surveillance tape, according to authorities. |
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| Whalen said the suspect is described as a white
female in her late twenties to early thirties, approximately 5'5" and weighing
around 170 pounds. She was reportedly wearing a blue coat with white stripes on
the sleeve, with the coat's hood covering her head along with a blue bandana.
She was also wearing blue jeans and carrying a white bag, Whalen
stated. |
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| A description of the suspect vehicle's driver
was not available, Whalen said. |
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| Anyone with information on these suspects or the
vehicle in question is urged to contact the Burke County Sheriff's Office
Criminal Investigations Division at (828) 438-5506, or by e-mail at
cid@burkesheriff.org , or by calling the Federal Bureau
of Investigation at (828) 322-8513. |
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| ************************************************************** |
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| Other Recent Press Releases: |
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- March 20,
2003.....First Citizen in Rutherford College Robbed
- March 19,
2003.....Youth Shot During Burglary, Charged with B&E
- March 19,
2003.....Drug Arrest Made on Liberty Church Road
- March 17,
2003.....Harlon Facing Numerous Charges
- March 10,
2003.....Basketball Coach Charged with Statutory Rape
- March 9,
2003.......Setzer's Freedom Short-lived; Back Behind Bars
- March 8,
2003.......Man Escapes from Jail Transport Vehicle
- March 7,
2003.......Deputy Foils Break-in Attempt, One Arrested
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archives
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