EVERETT — His life had been unraveling.
He lost his job and went through a divorce.
Family and acquaintances told police the man was addicted to OxyContin.
Now, at age 46, he’s been booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of bank robbery. His bail has been set at $150,000.
The Seattle man, who has no previous felonies, is accused of holding up the Wells Fargo Bank, 6400 196th St. SW, in Lynnwood last Tuesday. The FBI reported he also is under investigation in connection with a bank robbery in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle earlier this month. He was arrested Friday in Ballard.
Surveillance photos taken at the Lynnwood bank were his undoing.
Lynnwood police provided them to regional media outlets.
Three people identified the man, who once worked at a Western Washington auto dealership, court papers said.
Police tracked his car to Ballard and staked it out.
He was arrested when he went to his car.
He was wearing a white turtleneck similar to one worn in the Lynnwood robbery, according to police reports.
A search of his car yielded a dark sweatshirt, sweater and vest along with a tan plaid driving cap. All of the clothing appeared to match the clothing worn by the suspect in both robberies, court papers said.
Two pairs of sunglasses and a toy gun were found in the vehicle’s trunk. Each pair of sunglasses matched one of the robberies, police wrote in court papers.
The gun was covered with black electrical tape.
A teller at the Lynnwood bank told police that the assailant pulled a black pistol from his waistband and pointed it at her, while quietly saying, “Don’t look at anybody.” He handed her a note saying he didn’t want to hurt anyone.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
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