Bank robbers still atlarge, reward offered

Published 10:44 am Monday, March 15, 2010

By By Lisa Tindell
A man and woman are being sought by Flomaton and Florala Police as well as the FBI in connection with two bank robberies in just more than a week.
The Flomaton branch of United Bank was robbed Monday afternoon just before closing with the Florala branch of Wachovia Bank being robbed last week.
Flomaton Police Chief Terri Tolbert said the search for the pair involved in the robbery is still being conducted.
Florala Police Chief Sonny Bedsole said a $5,000 reward has been added to the case in Florala as officers with his department continue their search for the couple.
Bedsole said the couple who passed a handwritten note to a teller and made away with $1,700 in cash during the holdup March 4. It is believed that the couple hid in a port-a-potty near Florala’s Lake Jackson before a third-party helped them make their getaway.
Tolbert said the last sighting of the couple suspected in the case was in the Huxford area Wednesday.
Tolbert said the couple shown on surveillance footage from the United Bank robbery in Flomaton is also suspected to be involved in a similar robbery in Florala last week.
Tolbert also said a woman in Atmore was questioned in connection with the Flomaton robbery, however that person was cleared and is not a suspect in either case.
Tolbert identified the suspects in the case asking anyone who may know either person to contact law enforcement officials.
The male is described as being in 20s to 30s and slender to medium build with goatee-style facial hair. The female is described as a slender female with dirty blonde, shoulder-length hair. The female also is reported to have a large tattoo on the right side of her neck.
After reviewing video surveillance of the robbery in Flomaton, a Florala teller said she believed it was the same couple.
However, there is one difference between the Florala robbery and the Flomaton robbery - an eyewitness was able to provide a description of the getaway vehicle.
Bedsole said an agent with the Mobile field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation contacted his department Tuesday, stating they would adopt the case.
Wachovia Bank officials are offering the reward to anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Florala’s robbery.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Florala Police Department at 334-858-3244, the Flomaton Police Department at 251-869-5811 or any law enforcement agency
Stephanie Nelson with The Andalusia Star-News contributed to this report.

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