NEW PHOTOS: Off-duty officer scares away would-be credit union robbers

Police are continuing to look for two would-be bank robbers who were scared off by a off-duty police officer Friday morning.

Police responded to Collins Community Credit Union, 1755 First Ave. SE, around 9:30 a.m. Sgt. Cristy Hamblin, a police spokeswoman, said two men with bandanas over their faces, one of whom had a handgun, entered the outer doors at the credit union.

Officer Harvey Caldwell, a 28 year long police officer was working security for the bank and chased after the men, who ran westbound in an alley toward 16th Street SE, and immediately called for help on his police radio, Hamblin said.

But Caldwell lost sight of the two suspects.

No one was injured in the incident.

"We're hoping people have been around here and saw where they ran," Hamblin said.

The officer was in uniform and apparently scared the suspects off, Hamblin said. The suspects are described as two black males in their mid-20s wearing dark clothing and the bandanas.

Yesterday, almost exactly 24 hours earlier, First Federal Credit Union, 425 First Ave. SW, was robbed.

The description of the suspects differs from that incident, police said.

"It could have been a copycat," Hamblin said. "We know they're not the same people who did (yesterday's) robbery."

The credit union remains closed while officers investigate.

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