Robbery of Citizens Bank Branch in Farmington

The Citizens Bank located at 2911 East 20th Street, Farmington, New Mexico, was robbed today at about 1:00 p.m. The bank robber fled with an undisclosed sum of money. Farmington Police Department responded to the bank. Witnesses provided police with a description of a suspect and a possible getaway vehicle. Witnesses described observing an older white male running from the bank to a gold-colored Chevrolet Tahoe showing Colorado license plates.

Shortly after the robbery, a Farmington Police patrol officer spotted a vehicle matching witness descriptions near Lake Street and Main Avenue in west Farmington. A traffic stop was conducted of the vehicle, which was driven by an older white male. FBI special agents and Farmington police officers at the scene of the robbery responded to the traffic stop and detained the driver after finding numerous similarities in clothing and physical description of the driver that matched those furnished to officers and agents by witnesses. The vehicle was impounded and an application for a federal search warrant to search the vehicle was prepared.

The identity of the subject is being withheld pending the filing of formal charges. No weapon was observed by witnesses to the robbery, but the robber told the victim teller that he had a firearm. No one was injured during the robbery.

The investigation is continuing. This is a joint investigation by the FBI and the Farmington Police Department.