He used notes and the threat of a gun to rob banks in Spanaway and Puyallup

He looked like a normal customer, but he carried a note warning bank tellers he was hiding a gun.

Authorities say a 57-year-old man robbed two banks in Spanaway and Puyallup this month, both times waiting in line to hand the teller a note demanding money.

During one of the holdups, he leaned over the counter and whispered, “This isn’t a joke,” after handing over the note, according to court documents.

On Wednesday, the man pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree robbery.

He was ordered held on $50,000 bail.

The first robbery took place March 8 at a Columbia Bank branch at 17502 Pacific Avenue. The second occurred March 25 at a Heritage Bank branch in Puyallup.

Nobody was hurt in either case.

As he left the bank robbery in Puyallup, Pierce County sheriff’s deputies stopped the alleged robber’s car and took him into custody after finding the note used in the robbery.

This story was originally published March 28, 2019 at 10:35 AM.