ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A bank robber caused big problems Tuesday in Ocoee. Investigators said he held up a Chase Bank at Clarke Road and Silver Star Road and when he escaped officials had to lock down a nearby elementary school.
Bank customers at the Chase branch in Ocoee were turned away for hours as police investigated the bank robbery.
"I'm just shocked," customer Orrin Casinova said.
Casinova walked to his bank only to find the front door blocked by police and crime scene tape.
"I never thought something like this would happen over here," he said.
chase bank robber 012610 The robbery suspect's picture was quickly distributed to officers in the area.
The search forced Citrus Elementary into lockdown for over an hour and some precautions were taken throughout the day as Ocoee police and sheriff's office crime scene investigators did their work.
The school was placed on the highest level of lock down for the simple reason that it sits right across the street from the bank.
However, by early afternoon kids were back outside but the bank remained closed as investigators tried to lift a finger print from the door.
Customers were stunned that a robbery could happen at their local branch.
"It's the first time I've ever seen that here. I don't know what happened, but we've never had these problems," customer Carmin DiGarcia said.
Ocoee police released surveillance pictures of the robber. He has a goatee and he's wearing a blue jacket and a hat. In one of the pictures he is shown taking a lot of cash and putting it into an envelope.
Ocoee police urge anyone who recognizes the man to call them.