T-L Photo/Miranda Sebroski A Martins Ferry police cruiser sits outside Unified Bank in Bridgeport, which was robbed Saturday morning. As of press time, the subject remained at large.

BRIDGEPORT — Local law enforcement agencies on Saturday searched the Bridgeport area for a man who robbed the Unified Bank on Howard Street early that morning.

Village Police Chief John Bumba said the man was the second customer to enter the bank that day, arriving around 8:15-8:30 a.m. Bumba said the man produced a note demanding money and was actually inside the bank for fewer than 25 seconds. He left on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

According to Bumba, surveillance footage showed that the man walked down DeKalb Street to reach the bank. Following the robbery, he exited the bank through its west side entrance and ran south on DeKalb Street. Additional video footage from the area revealed that the suspect headed toward Wheeling Island on foot, traveling along South Lincoln Avenue.

Only three bank employees were in the business when the incident occurred, Bumba said. He noted that the first customer to arrive that morning already had left the building.

Those employees followed the bank’s protocol for such situations, Bumba said. They then activated an alarm to alert police.

No one was injured as a result of the robbery.

Bumba declined to disclose the contents of the note the man passed to bank employees. He confirmed, however, that the message threatened the use of force but said no weapon was brandished.

The police chief described the suspect as “a real thin male with his face sunken in.” He estimated the age of the suspect as “in his 50s at least.”

“It’s hard to say,” Bumba added.

Police were looking for a man who is 5-feet to 5-feet, 3-inches tall and weighs 100-120 pounds. Bumba said the suspect was wearing a red hat that he described as a “big toboggan.” The man’s other clothes included black jogging pants with a white stripe, white tennis shoes, a black jacket and a red and gray sweat shirt.

“We are just following up on leads now,” Bumba said Saturday afternoon. “BCI (the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation) came down and took some DNA samples. We will be in contact with the FBI on Monday.”

Belmont County Sheriff David Lucas is assisting Bumba and the Bridgeport police with the investigation. He asked that anyone with information about the suspect contact local law enforcement immediately.

To call the sheriff’s department, dial 740-695-7933. The Bridgeport Police Department can be reached at 740-633-9999.

The suspect remained at large at press time Saturday.