A Bellingham man remained in jail Sunday, Sept. 25, after he was arrested on suspicion of first-degree robbery a day earlier.
Whatcom County Jail staff called Bellingham Police about 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, after Isaiah E. Eraut, 50, "called inside saying he wanted to talk to a police officer before robbing a bank," according to an email from Lt. Claudia Murphy.
Before officers could respond, Eraut became agitated and left. "He walked straight to the bank and committed the robbery," Murphy wrote.
According to Murphy:
A thin white man 40- to 50-years-old, balding, and wearing a long gray overcoat, walked into Key Bank in the 1200 block of N. State Street shortly after 10 a.m. and handed one of the employees a note.
"The note warned that the suspect has 'a loaded gun and will shoot you' if a specific amount of cash was not given to him. The employee handed the cash over in wake of the threat of a gun. The suspect left the bank on foot."
Bank employees recognized Eraut as frequenting the bank and gave his name to police. A photo was shared with patrol officers who found Eraut shortly before 11 a.m. walking on Cornwall Avenue near Vallette Street. He was taken into custody and all but $100 of the cash was found on him.
