Carrollwood Bank Robber Might Have Struck Before

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies have released surveillance photos that capture the image of a man they say robbed the BB&T Bank at 15312 N. Dale Mabry Highway June 7. He might be connected to another case out of St. Petersburg.

Deputies say the man they’re after drove himself to the scene of the Carrollwood crime in a rather distinctive gold Dodge Caravan. The vehicle is missing two hub caps, is missing tinting on two windows and lacks molding on the driver’s side door.

The Carollwood robbery took place around 4:06 p.m. June 7 when deputies say the man parked that van in the Target parking lot just south of the bank and walked across Carrollwood Springs Boulevard to the branch. Once inside, the man stood in line with the rest of the customers. When it was his turn at the teller window, the man handed a note over and demanded money. After getting cash from the teller, the man “calmly” left the bank, went back to his van and drove away, a sheriff’s office media release said.

Surveillance photos of the man and the gold van were released June 11 by the sheriff’s office.

Deputies say the man’s physical description matches that of a person wanted in connection with a May 31 bank robbery in St. Petersburg. The man is described as being between the age of 30 and 40. He weighs about 150 pounds, has a medium build, short black hair, hazel eyes and stands between 5 feet, 8 inches and 6 feet in height. The man was last seen wearing a white T-shirt with blue lettering on the front, a tan baseball cap, dark shoes, a white painter’s mask, black gloves, sunglasses and blue pants.

The van he was driving is estimated to be a 1996 to 2000 model.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 813-247-8200. Tips can also be submitted via Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477) or reported anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or by texting "CSTB plus your tip" to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).

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