PLATTSBURGH — Late Tuesday, with the NBT Bank robber still on the loose, authorities were working through more than 80 leads on the case.
And a new surveillance image of the heavyset black man, a full-body shot, was released.
“That may generate some leads,” said New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Capt. Robert LaFountain.
The suspect, wearing sunglasses, a dark-colored sweatshirt with the word “lucky” on it, khaki cargo shorts and white sneakers, slid a note to a teller at NBT at about 1 p.m. Monday that demanded money and said he had a gun.
There were no customers in the bank, located at 484 Route 3; no one was hurt.
The first state trooper rolled in about two minutes after the robbery was reported, LaFountain said.
“We had multiple patrols there within five minutes.”
Police believed at the time that the suspect left on foot, and authorities embarked on a manhunt in the town and city of Plattsburgh that included helicopters and canine units for several hours.
The effort continued overnight.
GROUND SEARCH
Earlier Tuesday, NBT Bancorp offered a reward of as much as $10,000 for original information that leads to the capture, arrest and conviction of anyone involved in Monday’s heist.
“At this point in the investigation,” State Police said in a statement Monday afternoon, “it cannot be ruled out if there are additional suspects or if a vehicle was involved in the bank robbery.”
Throughout the day, an extensive ground search for evidence was conducted by state troopers and Clinton County Sheriff’s Department deputies.
Also, LaFountain said on Tuesday morning, “we are checking area businesses in an effort to locate any other witnesses.”
Multiple agencies manned an informational checkpoint in the area of Route 3 where the bank is located, hoping to talk to people who were in the vicinity on Monday who might have seen something pertinent.
POSSIBLE DISGUISE
The suspect is about 6 feet tall, weighing between 220 and 250 pounds, and had a mustache and goatee, police said.
“There is a distinct possibility that the facial hair is part of a disguise,” LaFountain said.
A witness told police it had an orange or reddish tint, he noted.
“Bear in mind the individual ... may have made efforts to disguise himself,” the captain said. “It’s very easy for people to change their appearance, so we’re investigating all options.”
LaFountain advised caution should a man fitting the description of the robber be spotted.
“The suspect indicated that he was armed, and so there is a presumption that (he is).”
Police never release how much money is stolen in a robbery, LaFountain said.
UNRELATED ARREST
Tuesday, troopers arrested and handcuffed a man in the parking lot adjacent to the Butcher Block restaurant on Route 3.
LaFountain said in the course of the robbery investigation, that person was found to have violated parole for an unrelated crime.
“We’re not calling him a suspect at this time,” he said.
That man is black, and police are looking for a black man, checking tips that have come in about black men.
A murmur by some of racial profiling was dismissed by LaFountain.
“The fact is that it is the physical description,” he said. “If it was a large, white male, we’d be seeking information concerning a suspect of that description.”
Also assisting with the hunt are Plattsburgh State University Police, City of Plattsburgh Police, U.S. Border Protection Border Patrol and the Clinton County District Attorney’s Office.
Report information about the robbery by calling police at 563-3761. To learn more about the NBT reward, call (607) 226-0509.
Email Suzanne Moore: smoore@pressrepublican.com
