DATE: Tuesday, August 5, 1997               TAG: 9708050113

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   39 lines

POLICE MAKE ARRESTS IN 3 BANK ROBBERIES; ANOTHER BANK ROBBED

On Monday, the same day detectives announced they had arrested suspects in three July bank robberies in Norfolk, another bank was robbed - this one inside a grocery store, said police spokesman Larry Hill.

At 1:46 p.m. Monday, a man approached a teller at the Central Fidelity bank in the Farm Fresh store at Wards Corner. Using a note, he implied that he had a weapon and demanded money. Police are still looking for the suspect.

He was described as a black man with a dark complexion, mustache and light beard. He was between 5 feet 7 and 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed about 150 pounds. The man was last seen wearing a green T-shirt and light blue jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Line at 664-4040.

Hill said that within the past week, police caught suspects in other, unrelated bank robberies:

Dwight Dual, 27, of New York was arrested in the robbery of the Signet Bank in the 800 block of N. Military Highway on July 11.

Tania Martinez of the 7700 block of Ruthven Ave. was arrested in the robbery of the First Union Bank in the 7600 block of Granby St. on July 31. Hill said Martinez, 19, recently moved to Norfolk from New York.

Two Norfolk men were arrested in the robbery of the First Virginia Bank in the 1000 block of Fishermans Road on July 30. Robert Lee Smith, 24, of the 9200 block of Atwood Ave. and Robert Jesse James, 26, of the 2400 block of Nevada Ave. were charged with robbery and using a firearm. Hill said the men were captured after several people called police when they saw photos of the suspects on television and in the newspaper.

Hill said there were 11 bank robberies between January and July, up from seven during that period last year. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

A man was photographed demanding money Monday at the Central

Fidelity bank inside Farm Fresh. KEYWORDS: ROBBERIES

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