Sabian Warren

swarren@citizen-times.com

ASHEVILLE – A robbery Wednesday at a State Employees Credit Union branch on Long Shoals Road sent area schools into a perimeter lockdown.

Around noon, a man entered the bank at 231 Long Shoals Road with a note demanding money, Asheville Police Lt. Mike Yelton said. The man got away with an undisclosed amount of cash and ran east toward a wooded area. No injuries were reported.

Police with the aid of K-9 units fanned out in the area near the bank but were unable to find the suspect.

Sgt. Dave Romick said the man is in his 30s and is about 6 feet and 180 pounds. He was wearing blue jeans, a flannel shirt, a camo baseball cap and sunglasses. Witnesses believe he was wearing a fake beard.

Five county schools in the area were placed on perimeter lockdown as a precaution, including Roberson High, Estes Elementary, Valley Springs Middle, Koontz Intermediate and Avery's Creek Elementary. The schools were never under any direct threat, officials said.

"Basically what it means is all the students are kept in the building and all the exterior doors are locked," Jason Rhodes, assistant communications director for Buncombe County Schools, said of the lockdown.

Classes remained on a normal schedule, and schools were dismissed at the normal times.

Parents were notified about the situation, Rhodes said.

A witness said the suspect may have gotten into a waiting car parked near the bank on the other side of a wooded area.

"He seemed to be in a hurry," said the witness, who was waiting in his car in the ATM line when the man emerged from the bank. "He kind of hopped and skipped through the woods. I saw a car door open."

The Citizen-Times is not naming the witness because the suspect was still at large.

The witness said his view was obscured by the trees and that he could not tell where the car went after the door closed. The witness also told police what he saw.

Anyone with information about the robbery should call the Asheville Police Department at 252-1110 or Buncombe County Crime Stoppers at 255-5050.

Staff members Todd Runkle and Julie Ball contributed to this report.