The Orillia OPP are actively looking for a male suspect who allegedly committed an armed robbery of the CIBC branch on Laclie Street Thursday afternoon.
At 4:48 p.m., the Orillia OPP detachment received a call about a robbery in progress by a suspect brandishing a handgun, OPP officials said.
“The male (who) entered the bank is described as a white male, approximately 5’8, 160 pounds, wearing dark coloured pants with a long, white sleeved shirt and a beige bucket hat,” Cst. Derek Tilley told OrilliaMatters. “The male displayed what was described as a grey, blunt-nose handgun at the clerk.”
Though police arrived minutes after the call, the suspect had already fled, Tilley said.
“At this point, we are actively investigating it,” he said. “The Orillia detachment’s crime unit is on scene investigating, along with the Central Region canine unit, along with forensic identification services and our emergency response team (is) in search of the male.”
Tilley said the OPP are working with the bank to review security footage to obtain images of the suspect and possible directions of travel when he fled.
It is currently unknown if the suspect fled on foot or in a vehicle, or how much — if any — money was stolen.
As the OPP carry out its investigation, the CIBC branch will remain closed.
“We are going to be investigating this as long as it takes to investigate it properly, and to really gain as much evidence as we can from the scene,” Tilley said. “Obviously, being a business, we are trying our best to get it back into their hands as soon as possible, but we are not going to cut any corners or diminish our investigation.”
The OPP are using all available resources to carry out its investigation, Tilley said.
“Whenever a handgun is displayed, it obviously elevates the crime to a different level, and we are very concerned that a handgun was displayed,” he said. “We don't feel that there is, at this point, a concern to public safety or a threat to public safety. We believe this was an isolated incident, but as such we are investigating with all resources.”
