Bank In Central Austin Robbed

AUSTIN, TEXAS — A bank in central Austin was robbed Friday afternoon in the third such crime to occur in the city so far in the new year.

The incident occurred just before 4:30 p.m. at the Bank of America branch on the intersection of East 39th Street and Interstate 35, according to police. The suspect is said to have demanded cash from a teller before fleeing on foot headed westbound on 39th Street, Senior Police Officer Marcus Davis said in an impromptu press briefing.

The officer did not disclose the amount of cash taken or whether the suspect displayed a weapon. The suspect is described as a Hispanic man in his 40s standing at five feet, two inches tall. He was last seen wearing a black zip-up hoodie and jeans, Davis said.

Related story: Police Respond To 2 North Austin Bank Robberies On Same Day

The bank robbery was the third to occur in Austin in a mere week. On Jan. 18, two banks were hit on the same day in North Austin:

• The first robbery of the year occurred at a Prosperity Bank branch at 11545 Research Blvd. right before 10:30 a.m. Police said the suspect entered the bank, demanded money and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect is described as a white, heavyset, middle-aged, bald man last seen wearing a gray sweater with a white T-shirt underneath. The man fled on foot after securing the cash, observed heading northbound.
• Just over two hours later, at around 12:40 a.m., police responded to another robbery call at a Wells Fargo Bank branch on 6501 Airport Blvd. There, another man entered the bank while demanding money before fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect in that incident is described as a white man with dark hair and receding hairline. The man of medium build had sunglasses on top of his head at the time of the incident, and was clad in a dark sweatshirt and blue jeans.

All bank robbery suspects are still at large, according to police. Anyone with information on any of these robberies is asked to call APD's Robbery Unit at 512-974-5092.

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