WASHINGTON – Police are still on the hunt for a young Manassas woman who they say is responsible for a string of crimes.
Prince William County police officers say Stephanie Lynn Schwab, 26, has robbed two banks and carjacked a woman at Tysons Corner.
The most recent incident occurred Tuesday, when Schwab is suspected of robbing a BB&T Bank at 8432 Old Keene Mill Road in Fairfax County.
Police say Schwab entered the bank around 1 p.m., implied she had a weapon and demanded money from the teller. She left with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured in the incident.
“Detectives are still investigating that case. They’ve distributed Stephanie Schwab’s photograph and information throughout the county, and they are diligently tracking any leads and following that case up, working cooperatively with Prince William County police who also have a warrant for Stephanie Schwab for bank robbery in that jurisdiction as well,” says Don Gotthardt with Fairfax County Police.
Schwab is also accused of tricking a 59-year-old woman into picking her up in the parking lot at Tysons Corner Center Nov. 19 by claiming she had run out of gas.
Once in the car, police say Schwab pulled a knife and told the driver to get out.
Prince William County Police say Schwab robbed the Virginia Commerce Bank on Balls Ford Road Nov. 18.
Gotthardt hopes tips from the public will help investigators find Schwab, or that all the publicity the case is getting will force Schwab to give herself up.
“We encourage Stephanie herself to do the right thing and turn herself in. It just makes everything a lot easier. We’re not going to stop looking for her until we find her,” Gotthardt says.
Channel 5 reports Schwab is a former member of the MS-13 gang, who recently testified in a high-profile murder case.
Schwab is described as 5 feet, 3 inches tall, weighing 130 pounds with green eyes and blond hair. She also has two facial piercings.
She wore a plaid coat, dark pants and boots during Tuesday’s robbery.
The car from the Nov. 19 carjacking has not yet been recovered. It is described as a 2003 silver Acura with Virginia tag XEK8095.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477 or contact Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.
