A Citizens Bank branch in Nelsonville was robbed at gunpoint at around 2 p.m. Thursday, and the suspect is still armed and at large.
The Nelsonville Police Department has described the suspect as a male wearing a ski mask and blue jeans, Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly said. A blue Ford truck might also be associated with the robbery.
Nelsonville Police Chief Jason Wallace could not be reached by press time. The amount of cash taken from the bank has not been disclosed.
The FBI was called in immediately following the robbery because the bank was federally insured, Kelly said, adding that the FBI would lead the case and the sheriff’s office will help out if asked.
“Since I’ve taken office in 2009, (the sheriff’s office) has had three bank robberies, and we’ve solved them all,” Kelly said. “So I expect Nelsonville Police to do the same.”
This is the second bank robbery to happen in Athens County this year.
Carl W. Davis, Jr. of McConnelsville, Ohio, could spend eight years in prison after pleading guilty to breaking into the Community Bank in Amesville on July 21.
In Sept. 2011, a suspect entered WesBanco Bank at 505 Richland Ave. and presented a written weapons threat to a bank teller, according to Athens Police Capt. Ralph Harvey in a previous Post article.
Amid these incidents, Kelly said the number of robberies in a county can correlate with the state of the economy.
“We haven’t seen many more robberies than any other times,” he said. “I don’t think it’s fair to say that about (Athens) County yet.”
jj360410@ohiou.edu
