[06/20/01] The suspect sought for robbing a credit union’s employees here has been tied to two bank robberies in other states, Vicksburg Police Capt. Mark Culbertson said.

On June 12, employees at Vicksburg Railroad Credit Union told police a white man saying he had a bomb entered their 900 Belmont Street offices and demanded money.

Four days earlier, a similar robbery was reported in Livingston, Ala., and on June 15 another was reported in St. Petersburg, Fla.

“In all three a bomb was used, so we feel it is the same person,” Culbertson said.

Pictures of the bomb used in the Alabama robbery were compared to photographs of the one used here and the two appeared to be identical, Culbertson said.

The suspect, described as about 50 years old and 6 feet tall, took out a device and put it on the counter of the credit union.

After being told that cash was not kept in the building, he demanded that they hand over their personal money.

An FBI bomb unit took the homemade bomb to Jackson to be dismantled.

Culbertson said he thinks the man is traveling the interstate and robbing banks along his route.

The FBI has taken over the investigation of all three cases. Anyone with information should call Culbertson at 636-2511 or the FBI at 948-5000.