Law officers seek helmeted robber

A man wearing a motorcycle helmet entered a Bigfork bank, demanded money and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash late Friday afternoon, according to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.

Some details of the robbery at the First Interstate Bank on Montana 35 were released Saturday as detectives continue searching for clues.

Sheriff Mike Meehan said no one has been arrested in connection the heist, which was reported to law enforcement officials shortly after the man entered the business at 4:21 p.m. He fled on foot before officers arrived.

The man was wearing blue Carhartt jeans and a black jacket, according to the sheriff’s office. His black helmet had duct tape above the visor and on the left side.

He’s estimated to be between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a medium build.

Meehan said the robbery was captured on surveillance cameras and detectives are actively following leads.

“We’ve got some avenues we’re going to explore,” Meehan said Saturday.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been notified of the robbery, but the investigation is being led by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.

People who have information about the robbery are asked to call the sheriff’s office detective division at 758-5600.

The last bank robbery in Bigfork occurred Aug. 19, 2005, when a man entered Rocky Mountain Bank disguised with a wig and fake facial hair. He was reportedly intoxicated.

During that robbery, a teller said the man pulled back his jacket to reveal the butt of a semi-automatic pistol in his waistband. The robber told her to stay calm, said he had a gun and demanded money. A teller gave him several thousand dollars, and the man walked out the back door of the bank.