Police searching for bank robbers

LIMA - Lima Police Department Officers and the FBI are looking for two men who robbed the J.P. Morgan Chase Bank at O'Conner and North West streets at about 9:30 a.m. Monday.

Lt. Jim Baker said two men wearing masks entered the bank, brandished semiautomatic handguns, and demanded money. The amount of money taken had not been reported.

Police canine units searched the area near the bank.

Anyone with information about the robbery should call the Lima Police Department at 419-221-5297.

Police investigators couldn't say if the robbery was connected to a bomb threat called in at Lima Central Catholic High School about 20 minutes earlier.

At Lima North Middle School, across the street from the robbery, pupils were not made aware of the robbery, but staff members made sure all doors were locked.

"We did alert the staff, without alerting the kids, to make sure their doors were secure," Principal Mark Vaughn said.

Baker said no shots were fired during the robbery. He said the men looked similar to those who robbed the Chase Bank in Cridersville on Jan. 27, but it's too early to say.

"That's certainly something they'll take a look at," Baker said.