Police nab suspect in one of two lunchtime bank robberies

Vancouver police rushed to back-to-back bank robberies at lunchtime Thursday, one near Andresen Road and the other in Fisher’s Landing, and quickly arrested a suspect in the first.

The second robber remained at large Thursday night.

At 11:45 p.m. Thursday, a man walked into the U.S. Bank at 7003 N.E. 40th St., and gave tellers the impression he had a weapon, according to a bulletin from the Vancouver Police Department.

The robber fled on foot with some cash.

Minutes later, officers arrested Alex Bonesteel, 21, a short distance away and booked him into the Clark County Jail on suspicion of second-degree robbery, police said.

Thursday evening, Bonesteel was being held on $10,000 bail. He is to appear in court Friday morning, a jail employee said.

At 12:22 p.m., the second robbery was reported at Riverview Community Bank, 1901 N.E. 162nd Place.

A masked man entered the bank, displayed a weapon and left on foot with some cash, the bulletin said.

Officers searched the area with a tracking dog but the robber escaped.

He was described as about 5 feet 7 inches tall and wearing a blue stocking cap, a ski mask and a blue jacket with red markings on one sleeve.

Anyone with information in the Riverview robbery is asked to call the police tip line at 360-487-7399.

John Branton: 360-735-4513 or john.branton@columbian.com.