DEWITT -- A man suspected of robbing a DeWitt bank is now facing charges.
DeWitt Police say Daniel L. Seitz, 29, of Morrisville, walked into the Citizens Bank at 6770 East Genesee Street around 1:20 Tuesday afternoon and demanded cash. They say he displayed what appeared to be a light colored semi-automatic handgun.
Police say he made off with an unknown amount of cash and jumped into a car that was waiting outside. The car headed eastbound on E. Genesee and pulled into the parking lot of the Fitness Forum Health Club. They say Seitz then fled on foot through the woods.
Air 1 circled over quiet DeWitt neighbhorhoods to help in the search, while down below neighbors were talking about the nerve-wracking afternoon. "Very shocking, not a lot happens here," says Michelle Crofoot who lives near the bank and works across the street. "There are a lot kids in these neighbhorhoods. I think a lot of parents are keeping their kids in."
The person driving the getaway car was taken into custody as the search for Seitz continued in a wooded area south of E. Genesee Street. Police set up a perimeter and a reverse 911 phone call was made to alert area residents.
"It's nice to at least know what's going on, so you can do what you need to do," said Josh Chubb, who lives near the bank. "Keep everything locked up nice, stay inside especially with our child inside."
Throughout the search, 911 dispatch received several phone calls from people who reported seeing the possible suspect in their area. Police kept searching the neighborhoods adjacent to Route 481 and Jamesville Road.
Five hours later, Seitz was arrested in the Dewittshire area.
A store manager at the nearby Wegmans told CNY Central us the search did not affected their business, and they didn't experience any problems in relation to the robbery.
Seitz is charged with second degree robbery and third degree grand larceny and will be remanded to the Onondaga County Justice Center.
Syracuse Police K-9 units, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office Air 1 and Manlius Police Department assisted in the search.
