UPDATE: Recognize this man? Police circulate photo after bank robbery in Admiral District

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

If you see this suspect or have any information about the bank robbery in the 4300 blk SW Admiral Way call 911 pic.twitter.com/YII2bZBTSa

— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) September 18, 2015

(Tweeted photo, added 3:24 pm)

2:56 PM: Police are rushing right now to a reported bank robbery in The Admiral District. The address that’s been broadcast is the Bank of America branch (4323 SW Admiral Way). The only description police have at this point is (updated) “black male in his 20s, 5’8″, wearing a baggy white shirt with red/blue lettering.”

3:05 PM: No weapon seen, officers are telling dispatchers (per scanner). If you’re seeing or have seen the Guardian One helicopter in the area, this is what they are/were helping with.

3:24 PM: We asked Seattle Public Schools if any of the nearby schools had gone into lockdown/shelter in place. Spokesperson Stacy Howard says Lafayette Elementary and West Seattle High School did, briefly, but that should be over now. Just added, meantime, photo of the robber, tweeted by SPD. Call 911 if you have seen him and/or know who he is.

(WSB photo, taken around 3:30 pm)

4:24 PM: No word of an arrest yet. Side note – this is the second bank robbery in West Seattle in a month and a half, after one at the Umpqua Bank in Admiral in early August. Before that, there hadn’t been one here since Washington Federal north of The Junction was held up in May 2014.

MikeRussellFoto September 18, 2015 (3:01 pm)

Just wanted to say…any time that I hear 3 or 4 sirens go down Admiral, I always come here to see what’s happening. And it almost never fails that you have something up.
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Well done. And thanks.
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All that said, hope everyone is ok. Also hearing helicopter now.

WSB September 18, 2015 (3:08 pm)

@MRF – yes, Guardian One.
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BTW another bank elsewhere in the city was robbed a short time ago. Too short a gap for it to have been the same person, apparently, per scanner. But just in case anyone thinks this only happens here …

Mango September 18, 2015 (3:41 pm)

I hope that everyone’s ok, and i hope they find him soon. I was at the area about 5 minutes before it happened and I didn’t happen to see him then, once again hope everyone’s ok.

Danielle September 18, 2015 (3:44 pm)

He looks older than 20’s.

WSB September 18, 2015 (3:52 pm)

Danielle, police had been given that description long (relatively) before the photo was made available. So of course a picture supersedes a description; the shirt isn’t quite a baggy white shirt either. I added the photo two minutes after police tweeted it but that was about half an hour after the robbery. (They also tweeted the photo of the robbery in the other part of the city FWIW, http://twitter.com/seattlepd …) – TR

Wes C. Addle September 18, 2015 (3:51 pm)

Strange, only because I always see a security guard patrolling the outside of that branch when I go by.

KRox September 18, 2015 (3:52 pm)

Don’t they always have a security guard there? What happened?

WSB September 18, 2015 (3:58 pm)

KRox – don’t know.
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To all, an open-letter reminder – if you have information about this robber, CALL 911 – don’t post it here – while (at least some) police DO read WSB, I am led to believe, I doubt they’re monitoring it in real-time.

alki resident September 18, 2015 (4:07 pm)

I stopped going to that bank a long time ago because they wont put up safety glass. Its not worth my life being caught up in a robbery.

wsm September 18, 2015 (4:23 pm)

Also wondering where the security guard was today…..

Former Banker September 18, 2015 (4:29 pm)

People still rob banks even with safety glass. It’s unfortunate.

Neighbor September 18, 2015 (5:48 pm)

That’s a clear picture. If more cameras had that clarity more people would be identified. Most pictures look a little better that ultrasounds.

SY September 18, 2015 (5:51 pm)

and the safety glass only protects the tellers. the customers are on their own and arguably even more at risk with safety glass.

Eric1 September 18, 2015 (6:23 pm)

I guess safety glass is one of those things that people see differently. I never bank at any place that has safety glass for the tellers.
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First and foremost, it isn’t really a friendly atmosphere speaking to somebody behind a couple of inches of Plexiglas. Doesn’t the the bank trust me?
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If you were to rob a bank, would you hold up the teller or the customer for money? I feel safer in an pond that has a bigger and fatter fish than me to catch.
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Since ATM’s give out $500, I really only go to banks for sums larger than that in cash. Do I really want to get cash at a neighborhood bank that needs Plexiglas and then walk out on the street?
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Just some of my thoughts.

oboy September 18, 2015 (6:37 pm)

Hmmmm…the Robber Got Lucky Not Having The Guard Around! Banks Need To design Better Layouts For Customers.private Booths For Example. Any Ideas?

Gina September 18, 2015 (7:04 pm)

Full face photo, unless he has plastic surgery scheduled should be easy to track down.

ScubaFrog September 18, 2015 (7:29 pm)

Another bank robbed right on Admiral and California. Glad they have footage. I wonder if they caught the Umpqua robber yet. They should post his/her photo too if they have it.
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I’ve never understood how criminals escape, right after they rob a bank like this in a populated locale, in broad daylight. I mean good heavens, what’s the response time??

G September 18, 2015 (8:05 pm)

I don’t think anyone believes that bank robberies only happen in West Seattle (that was probably a wry comment), but the level of crime here, large and small, is disturbing. When I tally the crimes that have happened within a few blocks of my home in the last few years….scary.

No matter, that is now a concern for the new occupants of my house, who get the keys tomorrow.
(Goodbye, old girl.)

West Seattle is a different place for sure, though different means something “different” for each person. Folks have to remember that THEY aren’t the same people either. Sometimes you know in your stomach it’s time to move on.

I’m happy where I’m at now, I’ll and drop in on the blog once in a while, though my commenting period is over. (It feels silly to comment whenI don’t live in the neighborhood anymore) Oh, WSB, not blowing smoke here, but your reporting was exemplary.

Best wishes all (even to those who I might have ticked off.)

WSB September 18, 2015 (8:34 pm)

Good luck, G!

Alan September 18, 2015 (9:21 pm)

@G – We may not agree to anything else, but we agree on WSB’s reporting. I hope that your new neighborhood doesn’t disappoint.

AceMotel September 19, 2015 (1:20 pm)

How does having a security guard outside prevent a robbery. This guy walks in, he looks like any other customer. And I presume he walked out like any other customer too. By the time the security guard is alerted, this guy is probably long gone. Maybe I am missing something here.

unknown September 19, 2015 (3:57 pm)

AceMotel…I thought the exact same thing too???

And don’t you think the guy looks like a young Magic Johnson? LOL!!!

617PSC September 19, 2015 (8:25 pm)

With regard to Security, you truly do get what you pay for. Stay safe Neighbours, head on a swivel.

Robert September 20, 2015 (8:02 am)

you can not cut back on your police support, and expect to have better protection.our police are spread way to thin now and with the slamming the police ,the corrupt news reports of police brutality hitting the news almost daily,who would want to stick their neck out and risk a lawsuit or worse . there is no incentive to become a police officer . the NOT MY JOB has taken over in the population of the united states.

Sorry, comment time is over.