Fountain Valley bank evacuated after robbery and bomb scare

Authorities evacuated a Fountain Valley bank Monday after a robbery turned into a bomb scare, according to police.

The incident started around 3:45 p.m. in a Bank of America, at 16192 Harbor Blvd., when a man walked up to a teller, grabbed the teller’s hand and demanded money, Fountain Valley police said.

After the teller handed over about $500, the robber left, according to a news release.

“As he fled, the suspect said he had a bomb in his backpack, which was left inside of the bank,” police said.

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Authorities cleared everyone out of the bank, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad responded, police said.

After investigating, however, authorities found no explosives in the backpack, police said.

In the meantime, the robber escaped.

Police described him as white, 40 to 45 years old with a gray beard. He was wearing a light green khaki shirt and a light-colored camouflage baseball cap.

Police asked that anyone with information about the case call detectives at (714) 593-4468.

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Jeremiah Dobruck, jeremiah.dobruck2@latimes.com

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck