Quick cops foil alleged bank robber’s getaway, in Gateway

They attribute it to “just good police work” – but find out how on-the-ball East Precinct officers worked together to keep this robber from slipping away on a MAX Light Rail train. We’ve got exclusive photos …

This KeyBank at the Gateway Shopping Center was closed after being robbed – again.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The Gateway Shopping Center, at the southwest corner of NE 102nd Avenue and NE Halsey Sreet, is a convenient location for folks to do their shopping, dining, and banking. It’s at the junction of Interstate highways 205 and 84 – and, at the back of the Center is the Gateway MAX Light Rail Transit Center.

Perhaps the convenience of the location is the reason robbers have stopped in at the KeyBank branch at 1205 N.E. 102nd Avenue more than once.

> To see our coverage of a August 24, 2009, robbery, CLICK HERE

“About 3:37 p.m. on February 4, we had a call come in regarding a robbery at the Gateway KeyBank,” reported Portland Police Bureau (PPB) spokesman Sgt. Greg Stewart.

Tracking the suspected bank robber, officers converge on the south entrance of the Gateway Transit Center parking garage.

Within minutes of the call, Stewart told us, eleven officers and one sergeant had converged on the site. “Using information they developed, officers set up a perimeter around the Transit Center parking garage,” Stewart said.

Officers on-scene radioed for a K-9 team to help track the suspect and help in the arrest. But, moments later, alert officers themselves spotted the man described as the robber on the second level of the parking structure. Witnesses said they heard officers shout, “Stop! Stop right there!” and soon afterwards, they took a person into custody.

Police quickly gathered in the Gateway Transit Center parking structure, and capture the suspect.

On-scene, we’d learned that officers did apprehend a suspect, and witnesses from the bank had identified the suspect as the person who held them up.

Officers say they believe this cap was worn by the man who robbed the Key Bank.

Officials say this man, 35-year-old Michael K. Foley, is suspected of the Gateway Key Bank robbery.

“By 5:26 p.m., officers had the suspect in custody,” Steward said. 35-year-old Michael K. Foley was lodged at the Multnomah County Jail. Alert officers, following standard protocol, were responsible for a successful capture. It was just good police work.”

FBI spokesperson Beth Anne Steele declined comment on this case because she was away from her office when we spoke, but reminded us that bank robbery is a federal crime; she said the suspect would be arraigned on federal bank robbery charges next week.

Comments are closed.