'Armed and dangerous' bank robber no longer a local threat, OUPD says

A reportedly "armed and dangerous" man who had been sighted near the Ohio University campus Thursday evening is no longer a local threat, Ohio University Police Chief Andrew Powers announced Friday shortly before 11 a.m.

Thursday evening, OU Police issued an email alert to local news media, as well as through the campus-wide text-message notification system, that an armed man wanted in connection with a bank robbery in Fairfield County had been sited near the intersection of West Union and Shafer streets in Athens.

Friday morning, however, Powers issued an updated press release stating, "As of 8:30 a.m. on (Friday) Jan. 27, we believe any threat to the campus and community has passed." The OUPD had information that Caudill probably had left the Athens area, the release said.

Thursday evening at approximately 6:10 p.m., according to the news release, OUPD received "credible information" that Billy J. Caudill was in the vicinity of Union and Shafer streets.

The report went out to the local media at 6:55 p.m., and shortly thereafter local news websites posted the crime alert along with a photo of Caudill.

However, Caudill was not located by police, according to Powers.

The Fairfield County Sheriff's Office issued an arrest warrant Wednesday for Caudill, 43, in connection with a robbery at a Peoples Bank branch in Carroll, a small town northwest of Lancaster.

Information available to OUPD suggested that Caudill might be armed and should be considered dangerous, according to the OU Police news release.

OUPD and the Athens Police Department brought in additional personnel and vehicles and searched the area for several hours, the release said. The search area included the Hockhocking Adena Bike Path from Athens to Nelsonville.

In addition, OUPD and APD answered dozens of calls from concerned citizens, the release said. Caudill was not located, and Friday morning OUPD received additional information indicating he probably had left the Athens area.

Billy J. Caudill is 5 feet 7 inches, weighs 195 pounds, has hazel eyes and is believed to be clean-shaven with a shaved head. Anyone with information on Caudill is urged to contact Athens or OU police or call 911.