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You can tell when someone is lost.

So I asked this well-dressed man and woman downtown if I could help. They said they were to meet a lawyer whose office is in the US Bank Building.

I told them how to get there, without any mention of Old National Bank.

It has taken me better than 20 years to accept reality. But I guess I have.

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A former North Idaho bank manager is accused of stealing $514,000 over a 12-year period.

Mary A. Head is charged with false entries, a federal felony that carries a maximum 30 years in prison.

Head worked at Bank of America, 162 W. Hayden Ave. in Hayden Lake, from 1993 to 2009 and was the assistant branch manager and banking center manager.

In 1997 she was given control of the ATM and charged with balancing the machine on a regular basis. That's when she started taking money from the ATM “and used it for a variety of purposes,” according to the indictment.

In September 2009, Head's control over the ATM changed because the bank installed a new imaging machine. Three months later, she was confronted about discrepancies in the books, records and ATM statements and admitted embezzling more than $500,000, according to the indictment.

Along with the criminal charge, Head is being asked to forfeit the stolen money. She is not in custody.

A smiliar indictment was returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Spokane. 

Melissa K. Garcia is accused of stealing $5,000 from U.S. Bank in Othello in July 2006. She's charged with bank embezzlement, which carries a maximum 30 years in prison.

A convicted pimp suspected of robbing nine banks in Oregon and Western Washington is in the Spokane jail.

Kevin Antoine Jones, 23, was arrested in Pullman Wednesday and appeared in U.S. District Court on Thursday.

He's awaiting transport back to Seattle. Jones is charged with four counts of bank robbery for hold ups Oct. 16 at U.S. Bank in Tukwila and Wells Fargo in Des Moines, Oct. 18 at U.S. Bank in Seattle and Oct. 19 at Chase Bank in Des Moines.

He's also suspected of robberies Nov. 5 at a U.S. Bank in Portland, and Nov. 6 at a U.S. Bank in Gresham, Bank of the West and Wells Fargo in Troutdale.

Also suspected is Isaiah Jordan Summers, who is in custody.

The two were arrested after a robbery at Columbia Bank in Milton, Wash,., on Nov. 8.

It's unclear why Jones was released from custody, but he was featured on Washington's Most Wanted Feb. 25 and 26.

A viewer's tip led to his arrest at an apartment in 1800 block of Northwest Lamont Drive in Pullman after a brief SWAT team standoff.

Jones has prior convictions for promoting prostitution and gun possession, according to Washington’s Most Wanted.

Federal investigators believe a serial robber is responsible for a bank hold-up on the South Hill Tuesday that locked down two schools.

“It’s almost certainly going to be the same individual,” said FBI supervisory senior resident agent Frank Harrill.

  The gunman robbed U.S. Bank, 621 E. 30th Ave., about 11:30 a.m. Sacajawea Middle School and Jefferson Elementary School were locked down for about an hour.

FBI agents believe the robber may be fleeing the banks on a bicycle, but he may have other transportation also, Harrill said.

The robber is first believed to have struck Dec. 22 at Sterling Savings Bank, 3000 S. Grand Blvd., then Feb. 13 and April 19 at Chase Bank, 2215 W. Northwest Blvd. (The Feb. 13 robbery is pictured.)

Then on May 18, the gunman wore a motorcycle helmet and forced an employee at Chase Bank, 3007 E. 57th Ave., to the floor at gunpoint.

Witnesses in at least one of the robberies said the man appeared to be familiar with how banks operate and knew which cash drawers to request.

Investigators aren’t sure if the knowledge possible is from bank experience or criminal experience, “but we’ll find out,” Harrill said.

The robber is described as white, 6-feet tall, in his 30s with a thin-to-medium build and fair complexion.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI’s Spokane office at (509) 747-5195, extension 2. If it’s after hours, call (206) 622-0460.

Past coverage and photos:

May 19: Serial robber suspect in bank holdups

March 4: Police: Man robbed 2 banks in 2 months