Suspected in 2-Day Holdup Spree : Woman Hit 5 Banks, FBI Says

An FBI spokesman said Monday that a woman who may be wearing wigs is believed to have robbed four Orange County banks and failed in an attempt to hold up a fifth since Friday.

The woman, who never brandished a gun but threatened to use one, is suspected of robbing two Fullerton banking institutions in a matter of minutes Friday, and two banks in two hours Monday. Five minutes after the second holdup, the FBI said, the woman walked into a La Palma bank but left empty-handed after a teller told her: “I don’t have any money.”

Nine financial institutions have been held up in the last two working days--six on Friday and three Monday.

Bank Robbery Capital

Even in Southern California, considered the bank robbery capital of the world by many investigators, the latest two-day rash of holdups is somewhat unusual, said Frank Calley, special agent in charge of the Orange County FBI headquarters in Santa Ana.

“A bank robbery and a half a day is about our average,” Calley said.

Calley said investigators don’t often run across instances where a woman has held up so many banks in such a short time. But, he noted, “we’ve had a couple of women hitting us lately.”

The only man who robbed an Orange County bank Monday may have been named Dave--the name was tattooed on his neck, police said.

None of the suspects were captured.

Monday’s bank robberies and the attempted holdup kept police and federal investigators busy in four cities, Calley said.

20 Minutes After Opening

On Monday, the robberies began 20 minutes after the Westminster branch of Wells Fargo Bank opened for business, police said.

A woman with long brown hair and a white headband entered the bank at 10:19 a.m., presented a teller with a note and walked out with between $1,500 and $2,000, said Westminster Police Officer Larry Woessner.

He said the woman was wearing blue jeans and a gray plaid shirt, and appeared to be 25 to 30 years old and weighed about 125 pounds. No weapon was seen. Woessner said the woman left through the parking lot of the bank, in the 7900 block of Westminster Avenue near Beach Boulevard, on foot.

Three hours later, in Huntington Beach, a man approached a female teller at Sears Savings Bank with a note declaring “this was a holdup” and left with $1,740, police said.

Left on Foot

According to Huntington Beach Police Sgt. Luis Ochoa, the man did not brandish a weapon and left the building on foot. Officers were summoned to the bank, located in the 7500 block of Edinger Avenue, at 1:20 p.m.

Ochoa described the bandit as white, about 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with brown hair. He said the man was wearing blue pants, a beige shirt, weighed about 165 pounds and “had a poor complexion.” He also had a tattoo on his neck.

“It said ‘Dave,’ ” Lt. Jack Reinholtz said, chuckling. “An arrest is imminent.”

At 1:51 p.m., Anaheim police officers were notified by silent alarm that a Golden State Sanwa Bank had been robbed, Sgt. Fred Roush said. A woman about 30 years old--who the FBI said later might have committed the Wells Fargo robbery--entered the Golden State Sanwa branch in the 200 block of South Euclid Street wearing mirrored sunglasses, Roush said.

The woman, who had short, sandy blond hair, presented a note ordering the teller to put all the money she had in a handbag the bank robber was carrying, Roush said. He said the bandit did not appear to be armed and fled the bank on foot with $300. She was wearing a “light-colored pair of pants and blouse,” Roush added.

May Have Used Disguises

The FBI said the woman may have used disguises in the robberies.

FBI investigators said they believe the same woman tried unsuccessfully to hold up a Sumitomo Bank branch in La Palma at about 2 p.m., Calley said.

“About all we know,” said La Palma Police Sgt. Jim Wells, “is a woman walked in, the cashier said, ‘I don’t have any money,’ and she just walked out.” Neither Wells nor Calley could offer a description of the robber.

On Friday, Calley said, a Coast Federal Savings & Loan in Tustin was held up at 11:25 a.m. Five minutes later, a Century Federal Savings & Loan on Culver Drive in Irvine was robbed. Calley had no description of the suspects.

At 1:55 p.m., a woman the FBI said might be the one who committed robberies Monday, held up a Gibralter Savings & Loan in Fullerton.

Five minutes later, the same woman allegedly robbed a Crocker National Bank branch on Harbor Boulevard in Fullerton.

According to the FBI, the woman slipped a teller a note, which read:

“Keep calm. I have a gun and I will use it. Give me all your money.”

Also Friday, a Westminster Bank of America branch was robbed at 4:45 p.m. Five minutes later, Calley said, a Security Pacific National Bank branch in San Clemente was held up. He had no description of the suspects.

Calley had no information on the dollar loss in Friday’s robberies.