Police arrest man after bank robbery

Laguna Beach police arrested a man on suspicion of robbery and recovered stolen cash following a heist at a downtown bank around noon Wednesday, according to a department news release.

Kyle Alan Veach, 24, was arrested on suspicion of robbery and a parole violation after police spotted him at the bus depot at Jasmine Street and North Coast Highway, according to police.

No one was injured and police did not disclose how much money was taken from U.S. Bank at 310 Glenneyre St.

A bank employee called police at 11:58 a.m. Wednesday to report that a man robbed the bank and fled, according to the release.

The employee did not see any weapon and told police the man placed a handwritten note on the counter indicating he was robbing the bank, police said.

Armed with a description of the robber, police searched the bank and portions of downtown for the suspect, police said.

A nearby jewelry store owner said he saw police running down Forest Avenue toward the ocean.

“I saw police swarming the neighborhood with guns drawn,” said Michael McFadden, who owns Rock Martin Custom Jewelry at 268 Forest Ave. He added that he did not hear any gunshots.

“I walked in the alley (behind the store) and a police officer with a gun drawn said, ‘Get back in your business,’” McFadden said.

At 1:03 p.m., an officer spotted at the bus depot a man who matched the description of the robbery suspect and later took Veach, who has no permanent address, into custody, according to police.

The bank reopened Wednesday afternoon. Employees at the branch declined to comment.