WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and SportsResidents react to Eau Claire bank robbery

Residents react to Eau Claire bank robbery

Eau Claire (WQOW) - News 18 was at Citizens Community Bank Thursday and spoke to one man who said he was in the drive-thru while the robbery was taking place.

The man we spoke with said he knew something was wrong the minute he pulled up to the teller's window. He says as he waited at the window he could see employees running back and forth inside of the bank.

When a teller eventually came to the window he says they said very little and suspects that one of the robbers may have been standing next to the teller instructing them on what to do. 

"I didn't see any bank robbers but you could see all the familiar faces of the tellers in there. You know when something's not right and I was like "something ain't right" but then I just dismissed it because what's the chances of me driving through the drive through when it's being robbed," says Grayham Jensen, a bank customer. 
 
News 18 later spoke with customers at the gas station next to Citizens Community Bank. After the fifth area bank has been robbed in just three weeks many people said they were worried.

"I just hope they catch the person because they are scaring people and with stuff like that you don't know what they'll do next," says Rollie Melseness of Eau Claire.

Adds Eau Claire resident Mark Nelson, "It's crazy. I think it's all got to do with the economy. I think people need money and they are going to do what they need to do to get it."

Says another Eau Claire resident, Dennis McSorlui, "I think it's pretty bad. I just mentioned to my wife if this stuff keeps up someone is going to get hurt one of these times."

Others News 18 spoke with wondered whether the recent string of area bank robberies could be connected to one another. But police say at this time they have no information connecting any of the robberies.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Eau Claire Police Department at 715-839-4978.