Police release picture of ‘person of interest’ in robbery, bomb threats case

Penn State, Ferguson and Patton township police departments have released a picture of a man who has been named a person of interest in a robbery and multiple bomb threats on Aug. 22.

Police hope that the public will be able to help identify the man.

SPE Federal Credit Union was robbed at about 4 p.m. Aug. 22, and bomb threats were made at the bank, Penn State Research West and the North Atherton Walmart. A device was left at each location, but bomb squads determined there was no threat to the community.

A man entered the credit union about an hour after bomb threats were made at Penn State Research West and the North Atherton Walmart. Surveillance showed the man was wearing a purple dress, mask and an ivory hood. The man demanded money at the bank’s counter and threatened employees in a note that said he had a gun and explosives that could be detonated within 2 miles of its location, police said.

The man received cash and fled north on foot. Police searched for him in State College area neighborhoods.

The person of interest was also seen getting into a large silver or white pickup truck on Aug. 15. Police released a distant picture of the vehicle in a parking lot.

Any information that could help locate or identify the man should be called in to Ferguson Township police at 237-1172 or the Centre County Emergency Communications Center at 800-479-0050.

This story was originally published August 28, 2017 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Police release picture of ‘person of interest’ in robbery, bomb threats case."