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Investigators seek the indentity of the driver of this vehicle, which was in the parking lot during the May 22 robbery of Merchants and Farmers Bank in Ila. Bank surveillance photo

Bank robber remains on the loose; investigators release photo of vehicle in parking lot during crime

Posted by

Zach Mitcham

in Top Stories

Wednesday, May 27. 2009

Comments (23)

Merchants and Farmers Bank in Ila off Hwy. 98 was robbed for the second time this month Friday. The suspect remains on the loose and authorities are now trying to determine who was in a green car in the parking lot at the time of the robbery.

“We don’t have information on the car other than the car was seen at the bank within just a few seconds of the robbery,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation special agent Jim Fullington. “We don’t know if it was involved in the robbery, but because of the time proximity, we’re thinking either it was involved in the robbery or it was a witness we need to talk to. We’re looking to try to identify who was in the car at the bank at that time.”

Fullington said investigators don’t have a positive identification of the car’s make and model.

“You can see enough to see that it’s a compact, small, four-door, late model sedan, greenish in color, very similar to a late model Toyota Corolla,” said Fullington. “But it could be a Dodge Neon. There are some other cars that are similar. The picture is not clear enough to say 100 percent that that’s what it is.”

The armed robbery occurred around 3 p.m. Friday. The lone masked gunman fit the same description as the person who robbed the bank earlier this month: a black male, 5’5” to 5’7” and approximately 150-160. He wore a red hooded sweatshirt and carried a small pistol. Authorities believe the suspect may be the same person who robbed the bank May 4.

The robber left on foot, exiting into a tree line to the left of the front entrance. He left with an undisclosed amount of cash.

“We (the GBI) are working four separate bank robberies that have happened in the Athens area since April 9,” said Fullington. “However, we’re not saying they’re all linked. And we don’t know they’re linked. But we’re saying there are some similarities between the robbery that happened in Ila on the 4th and 22nd that we’re looking that possibly being the same person.”

Fullington said the robber in both incidents at Merchants and Farmers approached the bank in “the same general way and exited the same general way.”

“He was in the bank the same general amount of time and once he got in the bank he approached the same way,” said Fullington. “He was in the bank less than a minute, closer to 30-35 seconds.”

Anyone with information regarding the crime is urged to call the Madison County Sheriff’s Department at 706-795-6202 or the Athens post of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation at 706-542-7901. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also involved in the hunt for the bank robber.

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#1 Madison County Resident on 05/27/09 at 11:51 PM [Reply]

You know who ever that car belongs too ain't going to say yeah they brought him to the bank and sat in the car while he robbed it? Nobody is that stupid? This guy ain't that dumb? He's done this twice that we know of and got away both times. He is alot smarter than people are giving him credit for and there is no telling how long he planned this out? He has probably been in that bank many times before he robbed it. He knew everything about it.Like the floor plan,how many people were working and what times they were there?
Just had another thought about the green car? He may be someone that lives close and Don't drive? That's why he leaves on foot every time and it may be why he has only robbed the bank in Ila? He has no way to get to another town? Friday may have been his partners day off work so they took him?

#1.1 SardonicVeracity on 05/28/09 at 11:03 AM [Reply]

Why do you end every sentence with a question mark.

#1.1.1 Madison County Resident on 05/28/09 at 10:00 PM [Reply]

BECAUSE THEY WERE QUESTIONS.See a (?) is a question and you are supposed to answer Now a (.) means the sentence before it was a statement and you are not supposed to answer.Didn't you learn that in Grade school? See that was a question you are supposed to answer that one.

#1.1.1.1 Sardonic Veracity on 06/02/09 at 04:05 PM [Reply]

You do this in all your responses... end what appear to be statements with question marks. I could do this for all your entries, but this one probably won't make it to publication. For instance:

"You know who ever that car belongs too ain't going to say yeah they brought him to the bank and sat in the car while he robbed it?"

I guess my answer to this "question" would be "No."

"Nobody is that stupid?"

Do you not want to take a position on this?

"This guy ain't that dumb?"

Again not wanting to make a stand? Smart people live a life of crime, I'm sure.

..."He is alot smarter than people are giving him credit for and there is no telling how long he planned this out?"

Was the question regarding the robber's intelligence or his length of planning time for the robbery?

"He has probably been in that bank many times before he robbed it. He knew everything about it.Like the floor plan,how many people were working and what times they were there?

What's the question? One trip to that bank and anyone would know there were probably 3 people in the building at the most at the time...and it's a bank, they were there during business hours.

"Just had another thought about the green car? "

I don't know, did you?

"He may be someone that lives close and Don't drive?"

I hope they have a reward set up. That might be the question that breaks the case.

"That's why he leaves on foot every time and it may be why he has only robbed the bank in Ila?"

I suppose, if that is the case, then, yes.

"He has no way to get to another town?"

Why should he? Ila seems to be an easy mark, kind of like his personal ATM. I'm sure, with the take from two bank robberies, he can afford cab fare.

"Friday may have been his partners day off work so they took him?"

Finally, this, like all of the previous "questions," read like statements. Perhaps if you put question words in your "questions," they may seem more like questions. But they aren't, not really, are they? They are statements with the wrong punctuation tacked at the end?

#1.1.2 Anonymous on 05/29/09 at 08:34 AM [Reply]

Why do you ask a question and not end it with a question mark?

#1.1.2.1 Sardonic Veracity on 06/02/09 at 03:48 PM [Reply]

Irony.

#2 Anonymous on 05/28/09 at 09:54 AM [Reply]

It's obvious by your multiple comments on EVERYTHING, that you have too much time on your hands. Volunteer or something, just get off your computer.

#3 I will be back on 05/28/09 at 12:14 PM [Reply]

Yea, but the intelligence of the madison co sheriff thinks that they will... LOL

#4 Trekkie on 05/28/09 at 06:20 PM [Reply]

I believe the picture of the car was published in the hopes that someone else would recognize it as belonging to a friend, neighbor or family member.

#4.1 Madison County Resident on 05/28/09 at 09:44 PM [Reply]

But unless they got a tag number it's going to be hard to prove. How many cars were sold in GA this make and model and this color. And since they got a photo of the car from the right side? If the person who owns the car knows they are looking for it they can change the way the car looks very easy and it don't cost a thing? Just put a big scratch down the right that can be seen from way off.Don't paint the car? they can prove if it's been recently painted

#4.2 Duh on 05/29/09 at 03:32 AM [Reply]

No S*I* why else would they do it!!!!!!!!

#5 colbertcitizen on 05/28/09 at 07:47 PM [Reply]

The sad thing is. He will be back and do it again, and if he does have a ride, next time it won't be the same car.

#5.1 David in Comer on 05/29/09 at 11:07 AM [Reply]

No by now he may have stole enough to buy his own get away car

#6 Curious on 05/29/09 at 07:47 AM [Reply]

It's funny how a comment written by someone I know wasn't posted. Make me wonder why the Madison County Journal is protecting Kip and his office. If the Journal knew what he did this week to some of the Deputies, maybe they would make a story of it. Well, now that I think about it, probably not. They would protect them as always!

#6.1 Anonymous on 05/29/09 at 10:18 AM [Reply]

Now I'm curious. Can you elaborate?

#6.2 Marie on 05/29/09 at 04:08 PM [Reply]

My recent comment wasn't posted either. It's obvious that the Journal, it's editor or whoever is screening comments won't print detailed, TRUE things about Sheriff Thomas. Especially if it's not favorable. If there's a question of truth, many things can be checked in public records. Stop wasting time/space posting childish name calling, back & forth nonsense and encourage dialogue about important issues that mean something to citizens.

#6.3 Anonymous on 05/29/09 at 05:40 PM [Reply]

yes, please give us a hint! or should we give them just enough rope to hang himself?

#7 Anon E Mouse on 05/29/09 at 08:39 AM [Reply]

I wonder who did the image enhancement of the photo so that they could determine the model of the vehicle. I bet they do know exactly which model of car that is, and don't want to give away too much of just how much they DO know. Does Madison County have a forensic scientist on staff that we don't know about? If so, thank you Mister/Miss CSI for your work.

#7.1 Madison County Resident on 05/29/09 at 10:43 AM [Reply]

No alot of people can look at a picture and tell you what kind of car it is within a couple of years

#8 unknow on 05/31/09 at 12:33 PM [Reply]

You need to read the story at the top of the paig
It said that the robbies could have been tide in
with nine in Athens.But you don'T hear Athens
putting down there law offices.May like there offices
Better than madison county.But i think we have a good

Police force. Just because people do not like the ones
wehave they have to bad mouth them.SO grow up and stop .

#8.1 David in Comer on 06/01/09 at 11:17 AM [Reply]

Yes it's just like you said you don't hear people in Athens or Gainesville running down their cops like the people in Madison County do?These people who want to bad mouth Madison County cops will be the first to call these poor excuses of cops the way they say it then get on here and run their mouths about them. The way I see it if you want to put them down don't call them. I think these same people are the ones who keep calling animal control because the neighbors dog pooped in their yard then fuss because they don't drop everything and run over to look at the poop,

#8.1.1 Me on 06/08/09 at 09:25 AM [Reply]

I know that's right! If you truly have so little confidence, don't bother calling them.

#8.1.1.1 Madison County Resident on 06/08/09 at 10:24 PM [Reply]

Well Me if you have so little confidnce in Madison County Cops why don't you move to Athens,Gainesville, or Atlanta that way your chances will be better to get robbed and shot by a crack head?

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