Suspect may be linked to 3 bank robberies

Published 11:14 pm Friday, July 14, 2006

A man who robbed two Dalton banks in recent weeks may be the same man who robbed an East Ridge, Tenn., bank on July 7, law enforcement officials say.

The latest robbery happened Wednesday at the Wachovia Bank on Walnut Avenue. Dalton police said a white male in his 50s and wearing a white, long sleeve shirt handed the teller a note demanding money. The suspect’s description is similar to the description of the robber of the First National Bank of Chatsworth on Northgate Drive near the North Bypass on June 5. Dalton police say it’s the same man, who is now a suspect in the robbery of the First Citizens Bank in East Ridge.

During Wednesday’s robbery, the suspect wore a red Boston Red Sox baseball cap. The suspect wore a blue Nike baseball cap in the First National Bank of Chatsworth robbery, and is wearing a different baseball cap in the East Ridge robbery, according to surveillance video.

All three robberies happened between 1 and 2 p.m.

In the robbery in East Ridge, the suspect was accompanied by an unknown person driving a full-size dark colored pickup with chrome rails on the side of the bed.

Anyone with information is asked to call Dalton police detective Chuck Richards at (706) 278-9085, extension 301.