San Diego
A bank robber who made off with $412 from a Bank of America branch on Mission Gorge Road on Tuesday is believed to be the man responsible for five other robberies dating to last year, San Diego police said.
Police spokesman Bill Robinson said the robber entered the bank branch at 6501 Mission Gorge Road at about 12:20 p.m. and handed a teller a note saying: “This is a robbery. I have a gun.”
He was described as about six feet tall and 200 pounds, and was wearing a long-sleeve plaid shirt and Levis, Robinson said. The man has blond hair and a mustache.
About 10 minutes after the robbery, a police officer attempted to stop a motorcyclist who fit the description of the robber at Meade and Copland in the University Heights area. The motorcyclist refused to yield to the patrol car’s emergency lights and sirens and led the officer on a 15-minute chase through east San Diego.
The pursuit ended when the motorcyclist slowed down to make a U-turn. The patrol car pulled up to the motorcycle and intentionally bumped into it, knocking the driver to the ground.
When put in a lineup before witnesses to the robbery, the driver, Terry Lee McConnell, 43, was not identified as the robber. But he was booked on suspicion of evading an officer, reckless driving and driving without a license.
Police were still seeking the robbery suspect Tuesday afternoon. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 235-TIPS.
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