Police respond to alarm, find suspect in lobby

Spokane Valley Police officers were scratching their heads Tuesday afternoon after responding to a bank holdup alarm and finding the suspect seated in the lobby awaiting their arrival.

“We haven’t decided if he was just inept, or maybe imbalanced,” Sgt. Wes Eylar said.

According to bank employees, Jason W. McKinney entered the American West Bank branch at 9019 E. Appleway Blvd. about 12:25 p.m. He approached a teller and while fumbling with the front pouch pocket of his sweatshirt, demanded money, according to police spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.

The teller refused to give him any cash, so McKinney made his finger into the shape of a gun barrel and then put his hand into the sweatshirt pouch and poked out the material as if he was armed.

The teller hit the alarm button and turned away from McKinney. The suspect asked if she had just called police, and she told him that she had.

At that point, the would-be robber sat down to await their arrival.

McKinney, a transient with a substantial criminal history, had no weapon.

“Our plan at this point is to book him for the attempted robbery,” Eylar said.