Police Manhunt
Gunmen rob bank in Leonardtown at ; 3 bank employees herded into upstairs office
--- No arrests made as of Sunday morning, says Sgt. Terry Black

LEONARDTOWN --- At least two gunmen attempted to rob the Cedar Point Credit Union on Rt. 5 in Leonardtown by forcing employees inside and herding them into an upstairs room today, according to St. Mary's Sheriff David Zylak.

"I was just called a few minutes ago by Capt. Cusic who apprised me of the situation and said that they were getting ready to make entry," said Sheriff Zylak, who was on vacation and reached by phone. Sheriff Zylak said that they were not yet ready to confirm the number of gunmen involved in the incident.

At some point, the three employees were able to slip out, not knowing if the would-be robbers were still inside or if they got any money from the credit union. 

Traffic was shut down on Rt. 5, in both directions, in case there was any shooting.   At a drug raid two weeks ago at a home in Redgate, just south of Leonardtown on Rt. 5, a St. Mary's Deputy accidentally shot a person in the home.  Therefore, the precaution of closing Rt. 5 could have been a good one in case stray rounds once again were fired.

The St. Mary's Sheriff's Department Swat Team finally swept the building to make sure no robbers were hiding inside.

First reports were that the gunmen were awaiting the employees when they came to work and ordered them inside the building which is located on Rt. 5 near the intersection of Rt. 243.

K-9 dogs were on the trail of a good track into a wooded area behind the credit union.   A citizen called police with a report of items believed to have come from the credit union and the Sheriff's crime lab was dispatched to inspect it.

A team of deputies were fanning out into a wooded area to assist in finding the robbers who still may be hiding.   

Cpl. John Payne issued the following statement on Saturday afternoon:

"At approximately 0800 hours this morning, while three employees were arriving to open the Leonardtown branch of the Cedar Point Federal Credit Union, two unidentified suspects brandishing handguns entered the bank and demanded money. As the suspects entered with the three employees at gunpoint, a fourth employee arriving in the parking lot observed the robbery happening and called 911. Police units arrived within a very short period of time, but the suspects had already fled the bank with an unknown amount of money. No gunshots were fired and none of the bank employees were physically injured during the robbery. The investigation is continuing by members of the St. Mary's County Bureau of Criminal Investigations."