Suspected Bank Robber Back in Springfield, Police Caution

Local and federal authorities are warning people to be alert. They say a man wanted for several bank robberies is now more desperate than ever and he'll very likely strike again.

It was Wednesday night that police got a tip that Bradley Fortner was hiding out in a house in the 1300 block of North Wabash. 

Police locked down the neighborhood but couldn't find him.

Just when they were getting ready to pack it up, an officer spotted him driving by.
That's when Fortner took off on foot and got away.

Thursday, Springfield police put out the word that Fortner is back in the area, and believed to be armed and dangerous. 

About mid-afternoon, the FBI released new pictures of Fortner (bottom), just as a federal grand jury indicted Fortner for the armed robbery of the Liberty Bank Branch at 2809 East Sunshine on June 8. 

During that hold-up, Fortner walked in in plain clothes, made no effort to conceal his identity, and made off with cash.
   
Less than two weeks later, Fortner surfaced again at a bank in Tulsa,  wearing almost the exact same outfit during a robbery there.

Fortner already faces federal indictment by a grand jury in Oklahoma for that robbery.

Because Fortner is known to be hiding in the area and is no longer with the vehicle he was renting, police say he is likely to be more desperate.

 They even went so far as to say they believe another robbery in the area is "imminent."   "He's really going to have to continue doing crimes and that's why there's a threat to the public," said police spokesman Officer Grant Story.

So officers are getting the word out to banks any way they can, and banks are then spreading that notice among themselves.

"We're competitors in everything except the bad guys," says Cindy Harding, a vice president at Empire Bank in Springfield.  "We don't compete for them. We compete to put them out of business, we work together to do that."

It's not often that these agencies really stress the words "armed and very dangerous" when describing bank robbers around here, but they say Fortner's history indicates he's brazen and willing to do this again.

As is obvious by the photos released by the FBI Thursday, Fortner has a number of tattoos and has been seen wearing either that black Kansas City Chiefs ball cap or the Virginia shirt.

Police say Fortner has family in this area and is likely still around.

They say everyone should be on alert and that he may try to steal another car or rent on using a fake ID.


Fortner, 31, is described as 5'8" tall, 175 pounds with a stocky, muscular build.  He has brown hair, cut very short, and brown eyes.  He also has tattoos on his back, chest and both arms.

If you know anything about Fortner's whereabouts, you can call CrimeStoppers anonymously at 417-869-TIPS, or go to www.tipsubmit.com.