Robbers hit three St. Louis-area banks

St. Louis Public Radio | By Rachel Lippmann

Published February 8, 2012 at 10:33 PM CST

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Surveillance footage shows the suspect in today's robbery of the US Bank at 4301 Lindell in the city. It was the third of three bank robberies on Wednesday.

(courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation)

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The FBI has dubbed this man the "Same Coat" bandit, as he's a suspect in four bank robberies in which the perpetrator was wearing the same coat. He's suspected of committing a robbery of the Reliance Bank at 8083 Watson in Webster Groves.

(courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation)

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This man is suspected in the first of three bank robberies in the St. Louis area on Wednesday. He robbed the First Bank at 7256 Gravois.

(courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into three bank robberies that took place within four hours of each other.

Today's robberies were the third, fourth and fifth of the month, and brings the total for 2012 to 14.

Here are the details:

At 11 a.m., a mustached white man in his late 40s to early 50s walked into the First Bank at 7256 Gravois in the city and presented a demand note to the teller. The robber indicated that he had a weapon but did not display one. He was wearing a blue baseball cap and a purple jacket at the time of the robbery.
An hour and a half later, a white man wearing a tan hooded coat walked into the Reliance Bank at 8083 Watson in Webster Groves and demanded money. No weapon was displayed, and the robber gave no indication that he had one. This is the fourth robbery this suspect is believed to have committed, and he has worn the same tan hooded coat in all the crimes.
Finally, at 3:40 p.m., a 35-40 year-old black man wearing a black leather coat and a black baseball cap handed a demand note to a teller at the U.S. Bank at 4301 Lindell in the city. He also did not display a weapon or indicate that he was carrying one.

All three robbers made off with an undisclosed amount of cash. The FBI is asking anyone with information about these three robberies, or any of the others that remain unsolved, to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online.