Crime & Safety

UPDATED PHOTOS: Farmington Hills Police Officer: Comerica Bank Robbery 'A Little Disturbing'

Police say suspects entered the bank this morning with guns drawn and grabbed an undetermined amount of cash.

Update: Farmington Hills Police have released surveillance camera photos of two suspects in today's armed robbery of a bank at Grand River and Middlebelt.

A sergeant said no one was injured, but at least one shot was fired during the robbery at the  around 10:40 a.m.

"I've seen a lot of robberies," Sgt. Alan Patterson said. "This one is particularly a little disturbing in that they never made any demands. They came in with guns drawn." 

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There was one customer in the bank when the robbery occurred, along with six or seven employees. The surveillance tape showed suspects came in with guns drawn and were in the bank less than half a minute, Patterson said.

One of the suspects immediately "came over the counter", Patterson said. They grabbed an undetermined amount of cash that was available and in the open, then ran out of the bank and headed east on Grand River, Patterson said. Police are still looking at surveillance video to determine whether they got into a car. 

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The bullet fired went into a cabinet and was fired "in the vicinity of the tellers", he said, adding the employees are all shaken up, but were comforting one another after the incident. 

"We're not sure if he was trying to hit anyone or not, but he didn't, which we're thankful for," Patterson said, adding police are still trying to determine whether other rounds were fired. "But again, disturbing that they felt it was necessary to fire a round at all." 

Patterson said one of the suspects is a heavy-set black man with what appeared to be a full beard and mustache, wearing a multi-colored knit cap; the other is either a light-skinned black man or white man wearing light blue jeans, a black sweatshirt and black knit cap.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Dept. was called in to assist with the investigation and provided helicopter and K-9 tracking support. Police are reviewing high-definition surveillance tapes, and investigators were still inside the bank at noon today. Patterson said he expected the department to release surveillance video later today. 

"We're pretty confident these guys are gonna get caught," he said. 

This is a developing story. 


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