Ironton police continue to search today for a man who robbed the US Bank barnch at Third and Jones streets Thursday afternoon.

Bank employees told police that a man wearing a dark camouflage outfit and a mask walked into the bank just before 4 p.m., showed them a pistol and demanded money. The man then demanded that an employee give him their car. The man drove away in the employee's 2000 black Ford Focus, which was later found on the Bartram & Son grocery store parking lot.

Ironton Police detective Jim Akers said a man living in the area advised authorities he might have seen the suspect as the he walked past his house. The witness said the man had a beard and dark hair.

"After that, he was headed south on Seventh until he came to a cross alley in the 2400 block and that's the last time anyone saw him," Ironton Police Detective Jim Akers said. "We're following up on leads at this time." Anyone who may have seen the suspect in that area is urged to contact the Ironton Police Department detective's bureau at 532-5606.

Charles Friend of Coal Grove and Lee Greene of Ironton, who were traveling in the area at the time of the robbery, said they almost bumped into the robber - literally.

"We were coming up Third Street (toward Coal Grove) and he came running out of the alley by the Auger Inn," Friend said.

"He had on a black mask, it wasn't like a ski mask, it was kind of like rubber, and he had on dark camo, more of a charcoal color, and he was flat flying."

"He almost ran into the truck," Greene said. "We could almost have touched him."

Greene and Friend described the man as tall and slender, his body was covered entirely with the mask, a pair of dark glasses or goggles and the camouflage outfit. They said he was carrying a big bag.