HOUSTON – The FBI has dubbed this bank robbery the Teddy Bear Bandit. Police say the suspect wore a rather unusual hat when he forced his way into a bank as it was about to open.
It happened at the Chase Bank on FM 1960. The man who robbed the bank was dressed like a cartoon character, but he was anything but gentle. In fact, he was armed and dangerous.
The suspect hit the bank around 6:30am Tuesday, before customers arrived, carrying a pistol and disguised as a teddy bear.
"It's a very unusual disguise for a bank robbery. In fact, so unusual it took a little while to piece it together -- was it a mask or was it a hat?" said Shauna Dunlap with the Houston FBI.
His method was extremely violent. The gunman in the bear hat first pistol-whipped a female teller, then fired several shots into a wall. He got away on foot, carrying a bag of money.
The man is described as 20 to 30 years old, around six feet inches tall, skinny and dangerous.
"He's wearing a teddy bear hat, but he did not act in anyway like a teddy bear. This is a very violent offender, very violent aggressive bank robber. He went in, he assaulted one of the tellers, he fired gunshots in the vault of the bank," Dunlap said.
The FBI released the sketch Friday because they need help to find the bandit. They're asking anyone who has seen it or him to call Crime Stoppers.
Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the charging and arrest of this robber, or any felony suspect. If you have information about this crime, please call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 713-222-TIPS (8477), or the Houston office of the FBI at 713-693-5000.