Man arrested in 3 Vancouver bank robberies

Police said Wednesday that the person suspected in three recent bank robberies is in custody after the man’s family recognized him in surveillance photos and notified authorities.

Howard Johnson, a 29-year-old transient, was arrested on suspicion of three counts of first-degree robbery in connection with three bank robberies earlier this month, Vancouver Police Cpl. Neil Martin said.

Martin said that Johnson was tied to the two bank robberies that occurred within a half-hour of each other on March 14: one at US Bank, 16415 S.E. McGillivray Blvd., and another at Columbia Credit Union, 108 Grand Blvd.

Johnson was also tied to the robbery at IQ Credit Union, 1017 N.E. Vancouver Mall Drive, on March 7.

In all instances, the robbery suspect passed the teller a note to attempt to get cash.

Following the March 14 robberies, the Vancovuer Police Department circulated a surveillance photo of the suspect and Johnson’s family recognized him and called police, Martin said.

Johnson had been in custody since Monday, when he was arrested on a Department of Corrections warrant, but Martin filed the probable cause for the robbery charges on Wednesday. Johnson should appear in court on Friday.