“Give me all the money on the counter. Don’t say anything.”
“Put your cash in a bag.”
“Put all the cash from the drawer on counter now! Starting with 100s and 50s. No funny stuff.”
That’s what Vancouver police detectives believe was written in three separate notes connected to three robberies allegedly committed by one person.
Howard M. Johnson, 29, appeared in Clark County Superior Court Friday morning on suspicion of three counts of first-degree robbery.
Johnson, who was described as a transient, was arrested in Portland Monday by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force. Vancouver police detectives interviewed Johnson at the Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Johnson was read his Miranda rights and agreed to talk. He admitted to committing all three robberies and provided details — money taken, clothing descriptions, the color and message on the notes — “that would only be known by the person who committed the robberies or the bank employees,” the affidavit said.
It all started at 4:19 p.m. March 7, when a man entered iQ Credit Union, 7017 N.E. Vancouver Mall Drive, and presented the teller with a note demanding cash. Surveillance footage captured the man leaving in a black car after getting the money, the affidavit said.
A week later, at 4:43 p.m. March 14, a man entered U.S. Bank, 16415 S.E. McGillivray Blvd., and put a note on the counter. The teller yelled her manager’s name, at which point the man picked up the note and ran out of the bank without any money, the affidavit said. His image was captured on surveillance footage.
Several minutes later, a man entered Columbia Credit Union, 108 Grand Blvd., on the other side of town. He put a note on the counter, took the money the teller gave him and walked out of the credit union. In each of the robberies that day, the suspect was wearing a black hat with the initials JJ, the affidavit said.
Detectives reviewed images and believed that the same person was behind all three robberies.
Following Johnson’s interview with Vancouver police detectives, he was transferred to the Clark County Jail, where he remains lodged.
Johnson’s bail was set at $125,000. His arraignment is scheduled for Friday.
