OCEAN CITY, Md. - Ocean City leaders are increasing the amount of money available for tips in an effort to generate new leads in an unsolved Truist Bank robbery that happened more than a year ago.
During Monday’s regular meeting, the Ocean City Council voted unanimously to amend town code and raise the maximum reward the town can offer for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a person committing a criminal act from $5,000 to $10,000.
Town Manager Terry McGean said the change was prompted by a request from the Ocean City Police Department. McGean said the police department came to town leaders in November seeking to make a reward available for the Truist case, but the maximum allowed at the time was $5,000. He said council members questioned whether that amount still made sense, given the cap dates back decades.
McGean described reward money as a rarely used tool that can be deployed when other investigative methods have not produced results. He said the goal is to encourage anyone with information to come forward.
Police say the robbery occurred Oct. 25, 2024, just after 9 a.m., at the Truist Bank on 47th Street. Investigators say a suspect entered the bank and passed a handwritten note to a teller demanding money. Police say the suspect took an undisclosed amount of cash, left the bank on foot and was last seen heading north on Coastal Highway.
McGean said police have video evidence of the suspect, who he said was wearing a mask and glasses. He said investigators are withholding some details about what the suspect said during the robbery, which could help police verify information received.
Council members also voted Monday to increase the reward offered in the Truist investigation from $5,000 to $10,000, in line with the newly approved cap.
Ocean City leaders said anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information about the robbery should contact the Ocean City Police Department.
