Mission Viejo : Man Uses Fake Bomb to Rob Bank of $3,762

A man claiming to have a bomb escaped from a Bank of America branch Wednesday with $3,762, a bank spokesman said.

The bomb turned out to be only batteries wrapped in wax paper, said Tom Chapman, a Bank of America spokesman. No one was reported injured in the 12:10 p.m. robbery at 25952 Muirlands Blvd.

The robber--described as a well-tanned man in his mid-30s, 6 feet, 2 inches tall and wearing a blue sweat jacket--told a teller that he had a bomb in the box he was carrying and handed over a note demanding money, Chapman said.

Sheriff’s deputies and a Hazardous Devices Squad arrived after the robber ran away, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman said. With the aid of a remote-controlled robot, deputies found that the box left behind contained only flashlight batteries.