By BOBBIE CURD and ROBIN HART

advocate@amnws.com

According to local officials, Monticello Banking Company in Perryvillle was robbed Friday morning. Boyle County Sheriff Derek Robbins said authorities were called to the scene around 9 a.m. and are still searching for the perpetrator who fled the bank on foot.

Employees said a slim white male, appearing to be in his late 40s to mid 50s, held them up with a small, semi-automatic handgun. How much money was taken has yet to be determined. The man was wearing blue jeans, a dark blue hoodie, a red or orange shirt, brown work boots, a gray goatee and a ball cap that partly covered his face.

According to Boyle County Sheriff’s Deputy Lt. Kyle Lyons, a witness working on a street light across the road from the bank saw the suspect walk around the building, seeming to wait on customers to leave. Lyons said they think the suspect got tired of waiting and entered the bank and pointed a gun at the one remaining customer and three employees.

The suspect forced one of the bank employees into the vault to get the money, Lyons said. No one was injured during the robbery.

He then fled through the front doors, turned right, then again right onto Polk Street, according to the witness. He took another right and headed toward the convenience store. “He kind of made a circle,” Lyons said. They don’t know if he had a vehicle waiting.

Robbins said the man had no other distinguishing characteristics. They are still awaiting the full footage to be released by the bank’s corporate office, which is in Monticello, Kentucky.

Later on Friday afternoon, Robbins said plenty of calls had come through with leads, but so far “nothing that’s remotely tangible.”

Perryville Elementary School was placed on a “situational soft lockdown” in response to the alleged robbery, school district spokesperson Stephanie Wade said. Monticello Bank is located at 314 E. Second St., and the school is on West Fourth Street.

“All instructional activities were to resume as normal. It was just being extra vigilant on supervision of the students and monitoring of exterior doors. And no students (can) be outside of the building today until the lockdown is lifted,” Wade said, adding that Perryville Principal Chris Sloan sent an all-call out to all parents, keeping them up-to-date with what was happening and why. “All our students are safe and fine.”

Robbins said there was no indication the school would be affected by the incident, but since there was a “dangerous guy, potentially on foot,” school officials took the precautionary measure.

“We have no idea how much money he took yet. Nobody was injured, but people are shook up pretty badly,” Robbins said. At just after 11 a.m., Boyle sheriff’s deputies had released the scene and the bank was still closed. “I’m not sure if they’ll stay open today or not. They’re pretty traumatized,” Robbins said.

He said if anyone sees someone matching the description of the robber, “don’t approach them, obviously. He’s armed and dangerous. Call dispatch and let us know.”

Dispatch can be reached by calling (859) 238-1220.

Advocate-Messenger Editor Ben Kleppinger contributed to this report.