Northumbria Police are continuing to investigate a May 2013 bank robbery in which a man escaped with a large amount of money after threatening staff with a gun
A bank robber forced a terrified cashier to hand over money after handing them a note with a chilling message written on it. In 2013 the man calmly walked into the Nationwide branch on Wallsend’s High Street in Northumbria.
He made little attempt to conceal his identity and even looked directly at a CCTV camera as he queued to make a withdrawal – but not of his own money. When it was his turn, he handed staff a terrifying note which warned he was armed and was prepared to use the weapon should the member of staff pull the hidden alarm.
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The note read: “Keep calm or I’ll use my gun on you.” It added: “Keep both hands visible. Don’t panic. Grab the money on cash drawer and pass to me. Very easy. Don’t push alarm or will shoot you.”
He then disappeared from the scene with a quantity of cash and has not been seen since, despite an exhaustive investigation into the crime.
As part of the investigation, Northumbria Police released CCTV footage and images of the incident, together with an image of the note which was handed to staff, in an effort to trace the crook involved.
Soon after the incidents a detective told the Chronicle that the robber was caught on camera coming into the building society three times. On the first occasion he was seen hanging around outside the branch doors before going in, putting his hood up, and going up to the counter.
He then left the branch before going back in, this time with a striped hat on. Then it was on his third entry into the Nationwide that the robbery happened. This time he was not wearing a hat or hood.
Anyone with information about the robbery can contact Northumbria Police quoting reference 508 15/03/13.
In 2023 a heavily tattooed woman told how she gets mistaken for a bank robber because of the heavy ink on her face. Melissa Sloan, 46, is infamous for her DIY inkings and her entire face has been covered in tattoos.
She added: “When I walk into the bank they look at me like I’m going to rob the bank – they’re all scared. It feels like they think you’re going rob them.
“I’m walking in and everyone just stays still and they’re all frightened. As if I’d want to rob a bank anyway – I’d get noticed straight away.”