Ex-Bank Officer Surrenders in ’82 Theft of $289,050

A former bank officer accused of taking $289,050 from a bank in 1982 surrendered Friday, saying he was “tired of running,” police said.

Patrick Dale Kennedy called police and was arrested without incident by detectives from the fraud division of the Portland Police Bureau, spokesman Henry Groepper said.

Kennedy, 38, was assistant operations manager of First Interstate Bank’s Montavilla branch before the Labor Day weekend theft in 1982.

When he disappeared, Kennedy reportedly left a note for his supervisor promising to return the money with interest and apologizing for the trouble the theft would cause for her.

Cash, traveler’s checks and other evidence were seized from Kennedy’s motel room Friday, Groepper said.

“He said it was the holidays and he was tired of running,” the spokesman added.

Police said that Kennedy had dropped hints about his theft plans, telling one fellow employee the week before he vanished that he was tired of his job and had the necessary papers and a passport to go to Mexico.

He reportedly told another co-worker he was tired of his work and intimated that he had gotten another job that paid better.

Kennedy was wanted on federal charges of bank fraud and embezzlement.