Would-be bank robber thwarted

A weaponless man who tried to rob a downtown Columbia bank Tuesday morning began screaming and ran off without getting any money, a police spokesman said.

The would-be robber, who wore blue jeans and had “a touch of grey” in his beard, wrote a note to the teller on a withdrawal slip demanding money at the Bank of America branch at Sumter and Gervais streets around 9:30 a.m., said spokesman Brick Lewis.

The teller refused to give man any money, Lewis said.

“He started yelling and just took off,” said Lewis.

The man fled on foot, and police are investigating.

Tipsters may call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

This story was originally published December 8, 2009 at 8:03 PM with the headline "Would-be bank robber thwarted."