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Coughing Bandit Strikes Again

Largo Police Department

Largo police released an image of the Coughing Bandit from one of the bank robberies.

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By CHRIS ECHEGARAY

Published: December 17, 2007

Updated: 12/17/2007 08:00 pm

LARGO - LARGO - LARGO -- The coughing bank robber has struck again, police said.

This time, the hacking bank robber hit a Fifth Third Bank at 705 8th Ave. S.W. at 9:40 a.m. today. He's a suspect in three bank robberies in the past two months.

The suspect is coughing throughout the robberies, police said.

On Monday, he entered the Fifth Third Bank and passed a note to the teller stating that it was a robbery and he had a gun. He ran off with an undisclosed amount of money.

The suspect was wearing a blue winter coat, jeans, a black baseball cap, and tan work boots. The winter jacket hood was pulled over his head and he covered the rest of his face with his hand, police said.

He stands 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-11 with a thin build. He was wearing a latex glove on his right hand.

Before the robbery, the suspect entered a Wachovia Bank at 2515 West Bay Drive. Bank staff confronted the suspect about not being able to see his face. The suspect asked about bank hours and left.

A witness saw him get into a gray, older model car.

If anyone has any information, please contact Detective Chaney or Detective Barton of the Largo Police Department at (727) 587-6728 or (727) 587-6730. You may also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477).

Tipsters may be eligible for a reward.

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