“It was like he had asked for...

“It was like he had asked for a refill of coffee and didn’t want a full cup,” said Sheriff’s Deputy James Bergman, describing the heist at an Antelope Valley Bank branch in Lancaster.

The suspect, described as about 35 with light brown hair, approached the cashier with his hand in his pocket, as if holding a gun. He gave her a note demanding money.

The frightened teller began handing over bills, one thousand, two thousand, three thousand. When she had forked out $7,000, the robber said somewhat politely: “That’s enough” and walked out the door. No arrests have been made.

The auction being held today and Thursday at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton by the state controller’s office will be a treasure hunt of items from old safety deposit boxes. The boxes were turned over to the state after lying abandoned for at least seven years in banks and other financial institutions.

Up for viewing at 7:30 a.m. and up for grabs at 9:30 a.m. are Confederate $10 bills valued at $2; dozens of stamp collections; more than 1,000 pieces of jewelry, including an antique pendant with 96 diamonds; 25,000 rare coins; Limoges stick pins, and even a Spiro T. Agnew watch.

The state also has more than $300 million, yes, $ 300 million, in unclaimed savings and checking accounts, stock and bond dividends, payroll checks and inheritances.

Under the state’s “Claim What’s Yours” program, people can find out if any of the money belongs to them by calling a statewide toll-free number: (800) 992-4647. Since the program was computerized in July, 33,000 people have contacted the controller’s office (including 26,000 in Los Angeles), resulting in payments of more than $1.3 million to 3,643 of them, state officials said.

“It’s better than the lottery,” said Controller Gray Davis. “You don’t have to buy a ticket and the odds are probably a little better that you’ll find money belonging to you.”

The man accused of shooting a customer in the neck Monday during a movie at a Marina del Rey theater had sat through about seven hours of movies before the assault, Los Angeles police officers said. Simon Tseng, 32, of Venice, who police say has a history of mental problems, watched “Hello Again” and “Fatal Attraction” and was most of the way through “Running Man” when he allegedly jumped from his seat and shot Freddie Johns, 32, of Los Angeles.

He then ran next door, where “Nuts” was playing, and exited through a side door. Johns is in good condition at a local hospital. Tseng has been booked on suspicion of attempted murder. Police said he told them that he became “somewhat angry” after watching “Fatal Attraction,” but officers said they doubt that any of the movies triggered the incident.

When Medra Van Zuyen of Pasadena and her husband, Gregory, leave on their five-year walk around the United States later this month, they will travel light--if you don’t count the two cats and a dog that will be their companions.

The Van Zuyens’ cats, Kennoy and Zuky, will have the choice of poking their heads out or riding on top of special compartments in the backpacks, explained Gregory Van Zuyen.

“The cats go in last on top of all our clothes and camping gear--in case we have to get them out quickly,” he joked. But most of the time, the animals are going to either hike along on leashes or ride atop Birgatta, the family’s Airedale--tricks they learned from Medra, who used to be an animal trainer.

Wed two months ago, both had always dreamed about such a trip. Medra plans to offer neurolinguistic programming sessions (a sort of New Age therapy) along the way to pay for room and board. Gregory, who will resign from his editor’s post at the the San Marino Tribune, is offering subscriptions to a newsletter they will produce along the way. A book is also planned. A big part of their plans is doing charity work in each state they visit. “We are trusting that the universe will take care of us and we will take care of it,” Medra said.