A Maryland Man Robbed A Bank Wearing Blackface, And We Have So Many Questions

Perryville police reported that a "a White male, with paint on his face" robbed a PNC bank on Tuesday.

If the picture from the bank's surveillance camera is any indication, that is not "paint" on his face.

That is indisputably blackface.

The incident occurred on January 28 around 12:58 p.m. at the PNC bank at 5405 Pulaski Highway in Perryville, Maryland – about 40 miles northeast of Baltimore.

Perryville Police Chief Allen Miller told ABC News:

"He walks up to the teller and he presents the teller with a note, and the note basically said, 'Hey, I want all your money. Don't give me a moneybag. I want all the money in the drawer.'"

"He scooped up the money and left. It took about 15 to 20 seconds total for this to happen. No weapon was displayed nor insinuated."

The Perryville Police removed the report from their Facebook page after receiving negative comments.

On Thursday morning, the department wrote:

"In lieu of our recent post and its many comments (some being derogatory and/or vulgar), we have elected to take down/remove the post."

"We do appreciate those who had contributed any information in regards to the Bank Robbery."

"We ask that in future posts regarding a crime that we limit any commenting to relevance of the incident and details. Thank you."

The robber was not thorough in disguising himself since the exposed area between his right glove and jacket sleeve gave away his true color.

Perryville Police Department/Facebook

By Friday morning, the department reposted their Facebook report.

This time, the suspect was described as:

"a White male with dark make-up on his face, late 20's - mid 30's approximately 5'00"-5'5"."

The suspect's motivation for the costume is raising questions on social media.

Lots of questions.

People guffawed over the preposterous crimes happening simultaneously.

What charges should be applied here?

The search is on.

Here is a possible reaction from the bank teller that day.

Did the malefactor think ski masks were a thing of the past?

Or was he trying to pin the crime on Black people?

Joe Jurado from The Root bet on the latter and safely assumed that the suspect's intention was for the bank teller to inform the police that "a Black guy did it."

Jurado commented on how the American legal system sees all Black people looking the same.

He said:

"I hypothesize that this man was not trying to rob the bank. Oh no reader, I believe he we was trying to get a Black man convicted of a crime he didn't commit!"

Chief Miller added that the nature of the heist—in which no one was injured—was a first for him.

"In almost 40 years in law enforcement, this was the first time I ever remember a person going into a bank with blackface on. This is a first for me in my career."

Miller said any additional charges for the suspect wearing blackface would be up to the Cecil County state's attorney.

"Once our report is completed and we do capture him, we will submit it to the state's attorney for review."

"Obviously, he'll be charged with robbing a bank, but I don't know if additional charges will be placed on him."

"We'll confer with the state's attorney in reference to that."

He concluded by expressing confidence in apprehending the crook.

"It's not a matter of if we're gonna catch him. It's a matter of when."

"He's by no means the smartest bank robber."