A Monday afternoon bank robbery in Vicksburg and the attempted robbery of a Tallulah bank about a half-hour earlier have police departments from both cities looking for the same couple, officials said.

At about 1:45 p.m., a man reportedly walked into the BancorpSouth branch at 3312 Pemberton Square Blvd. and handed a teller a note that demanded money, Vicksburg Police Lt. Bobby Stewart said. According to witnesses, the robber, who was described as a white man, 5-foot-10 to 6-feet tall, 180 to 200 pounds and wearing a blue shirt with a white stripe across the chest and khaki pants, left the bank with money and fled the scene in a 2007 or 2008 Pontiac G6, which was driven by a woman.

Police would not disclose the amount of money stolen from the bank. They said no weapon was displayed.

At the same time he received the report of the Vicksburg robbery, Stewart said he was being contacted by Tallulah police about an attempted bank robbery in that town about 20 miles west on Interstate 20. Tallulah Police Assistant Chief Willie Turner said the would-be robber walked into the Regions bank at 410 S. Cedar St. and, like the Vicksburg robbery, handed a teller a note demanding money. However, the teller told the man that an alarm had been activated and the robber fled the scene.

Robbery suspectWitnesses’ descriptions of the suspect in Tallulah matched exactly with the suspect in Vicksburg, officials said.

Monday’s bank robbery was the second in Vicksburg this year, the first being Jan. 30, at the Trustmark Bank branch at 3406 Halls Ferry Road. Arrested about a week later was 48-year-old Kevin Dale McCain of Petal. McCain, too, allegedly robbed the bank by handing a teller a note demanding money. About $2,100 was taken, but police have recovered some of the cash.

McCain was also linked to a Jan. 25 bank robbery in Marshall, Texas, as well as an attempted bank robbery Jan. 28, in Bossier City, La. Also, when arrested, McCain was held on a federal probation violation from a previous case.

In the county this year, the lone bank robbery was March 20, at the Britton & Koontz Bank on U.S. 61 North. Authorities said the robber presented the appearance of a weapon through the pocket of a windbreaker. No arrest has been made in that case.

The B&K robbery caused a 40-minute precautionary lockdown at nearby Sherman Avenue Elementary as officers canvassed a wooded area along Sherman Avenue abutting the northeastern boundary of Vicksburg National Military Park. Traffic stops were conducted at Sherman Avenue near the park boundary and K-9 units of both agencies searched the rough terrain.

Sheriff Martin Pace said Monday that investigators have followed numerous leads, and continue to do so, but unfortunately, none have yielded any arrests.

Three bank robberies were reported in Vicksburg in 2007, two on Jan. 6, at BancorpSouth and Amsouth, both main branches downtown. The third was 10 days later at a Britton & Koontz branch on South Frontage Road. A Jackson resident was arrested in the two robberies on Jan. 6. No arrest has been made in the third.