By BRUCE COLLIER
On March 18 at around 10:15 a.m. a white male wearing khaki shorts and a tan shirt and dark ball cap entered the Watercolor location of SunTrust Bank and robbed a teller. The robber then left on foot. Investigators and deputies responded to the scene and set up a perimeter in hopes of containing the suspect. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office helicopter and the K-9 team from Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office also responded. At approximately 3 p.m. that same day investigators with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office were advised that Panama City Police had in custody Thomas Joseph Banno, 40, of Panama City Beach. Banno was taken into custody under an outstanding warrant from Walton County for a worthless check. Investigators responded to Panama City and met with Panama City Police officers. The investigation revealed that Banno and his girlfriend had gone to the Watercolor Publix parking lot this morning where he dropped her off at the Publix store. He then drove the vehicle to the rear of the Publix store and hid it. He walked across the parking lot and entered the bank where he demanded money. It was determined that the demand note left by Banno was written on the back of a CVS receipt. Information gleaned from the CVS receipt led to the identity of Banno and eventually to his arrest. Recovered from Banno were the hat, shirt, and shorts worn during the commission of the robbery along with a large sum of cash. Banno was returned to Walton County under the misdemeanor worthless check warrant and was subsequently charged with felony bank robbery.
