Bank robbery marks 11th in city this year
Adowntown Santa Monica bank was robbed Monday by a man who drew a gun on a teller. No one was injured.
Santa Monica Police responded to the robbery at 11:37 a.m. at Citibank, formerly Cal-Fed, at 501 Santa Monica Blvd., but the suspect had already fled, said SMPD Lt. Frank Fabrega.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic male with a thick black mustache and tattoos on both arms. He is between 25 and 35 years old, 5’8” and 5’10”, wearing a black baseball cap, a black button down short-sleeved shirt and black shorts.
FBI spokeswoman Laura Bosley said the suspect produced a demand note to a teller that read, “This is a robbery. I have a gun. I want all of it.” He then told the teller, “I want all of it,” and showed the gun which he held in his right hand.
The teller complied and the suspect left with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Monday’s incident now marks the 11th bank robbery in Santa Monica this year.
The most recent robbery occurred on Sept. 20 at First Federal Bank, 401 Wilshire Blvd. The FBI is looking for a man known as the “Both Hands Bandit” because he uses both hands to hold the demand note. He got away with an undisclosed amount of cash at First Federal. He never produced a weapon.
Federal authorities believe he’s responsible for at least 14 bank robberies in the Los Angeles area since Aug. 13.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 30, 2003. Read the original PDF.