Last Updated on 5/24/2013

Published on 3/13/2013

Georgetown County authorities say it’s still unknown if the same person is responsible for two bank robberies that took place last week in the Waccamaw Neck area.
On Friday, the Conway National Bank at 10608 Ocean Highway was robbed at gunpoint by a man wearing a gold badge on his belt and a baseball cap with the word “police” on the front.
Two female tellers described the suspect as a white man in his mid- to late-40s. His face was covered with a black cloth that had eye holes. He had short gray hair and was wearing sunglasses under the cloth.
He was also wearing military style cargo pants, tan shoes and a black leather coat.
One of the women said when the man walked in the bank at about 10:20 a.m., he was “messing with something around his face,” the report states.
When the suspect walked up to the counter, he told the teller, at gunpoint, to not push the alarm button. After demanding all the $50s and $100s he then said he wanted all of the money from her cash drawer, the report states.
He then said he wanted all the money from the other teller as he was ordering them to not place a dye pack in with the cash.
Once he got the money, the man stuffed it in his coat pockets and fled the scene on foot.
The area was searched using a bloodhound but the robber was not located.
The CNB robbery took place four days after the NBSC Bank in Murrells Inlet was robbed under similar circumstances.
In that robbery, the suspect is described as a white man, about 5-feet-9-inches tall, wearing dark clothing, possibly a flannel shirt, and a mask.
Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Carrie Cuthbertson was asked if the two robberies may be related.
“It is too early in the investigation to make that assumption,” she responded. “Georgetown County Sheriff’s investigators are considering all options.”

By Scott Harper
sharper@gtowntimes.com