Bank is broken into over holiday weekend
Damage to building and vault, but no cash taken
By KELLY RUHOFF Managing Editor
PHOTOS BY KELLY RUHOFF STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS (Right) Jeannie Galbreath, a bank employee, and nearby neighbor, attorney Greg Gilday, discuss with police the bank's break in before entering last Tuesday morning. Thieves used a stolen welding set from another Stanwood business to try and enter the vault of Washington Federal Savings over Memorial Day weekend.
Though the thief or thieves managed to do significant damage to the vault, the attempt was unsuccessful, said Stanwood Police Chief Ty Trenary.
"This thing was not well planned," said Trenary.
A customer service representative, who asked not to be identified, arrived first at Stanwood's branch of Washington Federal Savings last Tuesday morning and noticed damage to the back entrance door. Through the street side entrance she saw evidence of a break in.
Not since 1963 when Washington Federal Savings first opened its doors at 9025 271st Street NW in Stanwood has there ever been a robbery or one attempted, she said.
"I've been here since 1969 and there has never been a problem," she said.
Stanwood Police Chief Ty Trenary and an officer investigate damage to the building of Washington Federal Savings. Along with damage to the back door and vault, phone lines to the bank were severed from the outside, said Trenary.
An alarm system was also disabled, said Cathy Cooper, senior vice president of communications at Washington Federal Savings in Seattle.
"A robbery was attempted, but they were unsuccessful," said Cooper.
The branch remained closed throughout Tuesday while the FBI, Stanwood Police and the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office Identification Unit assisted in the investigation.
"We're working on different angles and waiting for results from the crime lab," said Trenary.
