The Seal Beach Police Department reported the Wachovia Bank at 12310 Seal Beach Blvd. was held up on Wednesday, May 5, at about 4:00 pm. On January 26, 2009 the Wachovia Bank at 13962 Seal Beach Blvd. was also robbed. In both robberies, the bad guy escaped on a bicycle. So far this year, there have been 4 bank robberies in West Orange County; two at Wachovia, one at the Bank Of America in Los Alamitos, and one at the Washington Mutual in Seal Beach. The FBI arrested Brian Keith Robinson, 49, of Los Angeles, in connection with the January 10 robbery of the Seal Beach Washington Mutual bank. The other suspects remain at large.

Although use of a bicycle as an escape vehicle is the same at the two Wachovia robberies, the suspect descriptions have important differences. In the January robbery, the suspect was described as male Caucasian, 35 years of age, 5’-6” tall, 175 lbs. In The most recent crime, the suspect was described as male Caucasian, 60 years of age, weathered complexion, 5’-5” tall, 170 lbs, thinning/balding sandy brown hair, eye glasses, wearing a brown and orange plaid shirt and tan pants.

The Seal Beach Police reported on Tuesday a lone male suspect approached a teller window and demanded money. The suspect used a note containing a threat of a weapon. After receiving an undetermined amount of cash from the teller, the suspect exited the bank and fled on foot. He ran to an awaiting bicycle that had been secreted near an adjacent business. He was last seen riding from the location, northbound on Seal Beach Blvd. The police did an area check, but the suspect escaped.

Witnesses are urged to contact Detective Gary Krogman at 562-799-4100 X 1108.