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Washington County Armed Bank Robbery

WASHINGTON COUNTY-- Officials are on a man hunt for two armed bank robbers. The masked men carrying pistols held up the Farmers and Merchants National Bank in Hoyleton Wednesday morning.

Officials are releasing little information about what happened, but the only customer in the bank, and the only eye witness to the get-away car took time to talk about her frightening experience.

For local waitress and mother of four, Kimberly Connelly, going to the bank for change wasn't the normal mundane chore.

"Two guys with ski masks and guns running into the bank. I turned around and told the tellers, 'We're getting robbed.' And they just looked, and I said 'WE'RE GETTING ROBBED."

Connelly was the only customer in the bank at the time of the robbery. She says the thieves followed her into the bank then ordered everyone to the floor.

"He was right next to me and he pointed the gun at me and he said, 'Get down.'"

So she did. Connelly says she slid down the wall and sat on the floor. Frightened but courageous... Connelly purposefully faced the chaos.

"I was praying to God. I prayed out loud. I was like, oh my God- God help me. I didn't know if I was gonna make it out of the bank."

Connelly says she watched as both men walked behind the service counter. She says she couldn't see much of the action, but only moments later, one man leaped across the counter.

"As he jumped, money just hit the floor, hundred dollar bills everywhere and tootsie rolls. And so, he stopped and picked up all the tootsie rolls and all the money and he put it in his pants pocket."

At that time, Connelly says, the other robber rounded the corner and they both made a B-line for the door. Connelly was the only person in the bank who could get a look at the get-away vehicle.

"I knew that i wasn't gonna let... I didn't want them to get away with it."

State police tell us the FBI does have some leads. But, we were also informed that the robbers ditched the get-away vehicle, only miles from the bank. The investigation continues.

By Rachel Gartner
rgartner@wsiltv.com