Newcastle Police seek suspect in 'Oceans Eleven'-style bank robbery
NEWCASTLE, Wash. - Newcastle Police are investigating an elaborate and bizarre bank robbery attempt in early January.
Authorities say employees of Key Bank were opening the morning of Jan. 3, 2022, when they noticed a leak from a ceiling tile. Figuring it was related to ongoing heavy rain earlier that month, employees called their facilities company to check out the damage.
Facilities workers instead found a 3-by-3 foot hole cut into the roof, so the bank called Newcastle Police.
Officers and roofing company workers inspected the hole and did not see any signs someone made entry into the bank, and employees who had already been working for four hours had not seen anything suspicious, so police determined someone may have tried entering over the weekend but gave up.
The roof was patched and a burglary report was taken.
Hours later at 5:30 p.m., however, a suspect dropped in from the ceiling tiles in what Police Chief Jason Houck described as an "Oceans Eleven type" bank robbery. Authorities believe the suspect was hiding in the ceiling tiles for 12–13 hours.
The suspect then zip-tied three employees to each other and to nearby cabinets, demanding access to the bank vault. Employees told the suspect that was not possible, given security measures. The suspect kept demanding access to the vault, but eventually left out the front door.
Shortly after, an employee wrestled free of the restraints and called 911.
Descriptions of the suspect are very limited, but Newcastle Police are certain they would have told someone about the incident, as "it is too bizarre a story for someone to keep to themselves." Anyone with information leading to an arrest could receive a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tipsters are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or submit through the P3 Tips App.
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