Midday bank robbery, bandit makes clean getaway

~~Adz:Left~~St. Croix, USVI – THE Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is assisting St. Croix law enforcement officers with investigations into the high-noon robbery of a local bank that occurred two days ago.

According to information circulated by a police spokesperson, unsuspecting customers and staff at the Bank of St. Croix in Peter's Rest were robbed by a solitary gunman shortly before 12 p.m. Wednesday.

A large contingent of federal and local officers quickly responded to an emergency call and was reportedly told by witnesses on the scene that the gunman was apologetic while relieving them of cash and valuables at gunpoint. It was said that during the commission of the crime two shots were fired into the air, perhaps to intimidate the persons into cooperating.

The bandit allegedly filed the victims, including the lone security guard into a room after looting the tellers' cash drawers and a bank safe.

The robber then made his escape using one victim’s rental car which police found abandoned behind a building not too far from the scene.

The bank remained closed the rest of Wednesday but re-opened to the public yesterday. Bank officials did not make public the dollar value of the robber’s haul.

Police have subsequently taken one male into custody for “questioning” relating to the incident but have not filed any official charges.