Police search for bank robber

By URIAH A. KISER
Published: December 29, 2008

For the second time in less than a week, a bank in eastern Prince William County has been robbed in broad daylight.

Police say a man walked into the Cardinal Bank at 13870 Smoketown Road about noon Monday, approached a teller and demanded money.

The man implied that he had a weapon, though no one saw a gun, said Officer Erika Hernandez, Prince William police spokeswoman.

He made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The robber matches the description of a man who has hit two other banks in the past two months. In each case, the culprit was white, in his 50s and between 5 feet 2 and 5 feet 6 inches tall. In Monday's case, the man wore a black jacket, green hat and blue jeans.

Monday's robbery comes less than a week after a heist at the Wachovia at 13991 Jefferson Davis Highway in Woodbridge. Last Wednesday, a man walked into the bank at 11 a.m., approached the teller and demanded money without using a weapon, Hernandez said. He made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Last month, another Wachovia branch in Dale City was robbed in the same fashion just after 3:30 p.m. In that case, the man walked into the bank in Ashdale Plaza, demanded money and made off with the cash.

That incident spurred a manhunt in the Dale City area, as police used K-9 units and a helicopter flown in from Fairfax to search the wooded areas behind the bank, near the OmniRide commuter bus terminal.

Anyone with information is asked to call Prince William County Crime Solvers at 703-670-3700.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.