A bank robber who strikes at drive-through windows failed twice Tuesday, police said.
He passed threatening notes to tellers in south and east Fort Worth before apparently calling it a day, they said.
The same man is likely responsible for two successful similar robberies in less than two weeks, robbery Sgt. J.D. Marshall said.
"It's not a real common way to commit bank robberies," he said.
A man in a gold SUV -- possibly a Chevrolet Trailblazer -- pulled up to the commercial window at Bank One, 4600 S. Hulen St., about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. He passed the teller a note demanding money.
"The clerk just didn't respond to the demand" and the man drove away, Marshall said.
About 2 p.m., a man fitting the description passed a note to a teller at the commercial window of Bank One, 2100 Hudson St. That teller also refused and activated a silent alarm.
The man drove southbound on South Beach Street.
The attempted robberies came four days after the Bank of America, 3100 Alta Mesa Blvd., was robbed by a man who fit the same description.
According to a police report, a man in a red two-door car pulled into the drive-through at 3:30 p.m. Friday and gave the teller a note demanding $6,000. The note said she would not get hurt if she complied.
The driver held up a folded newspaper and pointed to it with his other hand, apparently suggesting that he had a weapon. The teller said she feared for her life and gave the robber money in an envelope.
She said the car looked like a Camaro with tinted windows.
A similar robbery occurred July 15 at Bank of America, 4751 S. Hulen St. The robber was driving a silver or light-colored SUV, possibly a Honda.
Lori Bailey, spokeswoman for the Dallas FBI office, said agents have investigated drive-through bank robberies before, but most robberies occur inside. However, clearance rates seem to be slightly higher for the drive-through robberies, she said. One reason may be that witnesses get a clear view of the robber's vehicle and license plate."I guess there are pros and cons for the robber and sometimes for the bank," she said. "In any robbery, they're taking their chances."
