Two Sought In Tulsa Bank Robbery

By Ashli Sims, The News On 6

TULSA, OK - The New Year brings a spike in bank robberies.  On Friday, Tulsa recorded its sixth one in about a week.

The latest happened just before closing time, when two men walked into the First Fidelity Bank near 81^st and Yale.

"Entered with a firearm and a knife and demanded money from a cashier," said Tulsa Police Sgt. Michael Brown.

Tulsa Police Sgt. Dave Walker says both suspects are described as white, 5'10 and 160-175 pounds. Both were wearing panty hose over their faces and the knife wielder has a dark sloth mask on his lower part of his face.

The holdup was the sixth one in nine days.  The string of robberies started last Thursday with Valley National Bank and the Bank of America.  The very next day, after his surveillance photo was shown, a Crime Stoppers tipster led police to the suspect at a Brookside bar.  Officers arrested Chris Rodman, and say they found a note on him that asked for money or else.

The same day one case ended, Tulsa police responded to another pair of heists at Tulsa credit unions.

First the Red Crown Credit Union near 51st and Delaware was hit. 

Later, the Communications Federal Credit Union inside Mall 31 at 31st and Sheridan was robbed.  Police say that robber gave the teller a note demanding money.  Officers say he stuffed two drawers full of cash in his jacket, dropping bills as ran away.

It seems as the week has gone on the threats have gotten more violent.

Suspects have moved from notes threatening violence to showing weapons.  Last Sunday, a man armed with a handgun and Tazer robbed the IBC branch near 71st and Memorial.  Officers suspect the robber is the same man who robbed the bank last November.    

Friday's robbers had a knife and a gun.  But, officers do not think the First Fidelity robbery is related to any of the other cases.  There were three bank workers and three customers inside the bank at the time of the heist.  No one was hurt.

Last year, The News On 6 covered nine bank robberies for the entire year.