Countywide : 2 Banks Robbed, Attempt on 3rd Fails

Two banks in Ventura County were robbed Friday, and an attempt on a third was unsuccessful, authorities said.

The first robbery occurred shortly after 11 a.m. in Thousand Oaks when a man robbed a branch of Security Pacific Bank in the Janss Mall, said Ventura County Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Montijo.

The man entered the bank at the east side of the mall, at 173 N. Moorpark Road, and gave the teller a demand note, Montijo said.

After the teller gave him $1,092 in cash, the man ran into the mall.

Authorities have no suspects. The robber wore a brown leather cap, a tan leather jacket and sunglasses. He was described as being in his mid-20s, 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds.

“It was a typical bank robbery,” Montijo said. “He was wearing a cap and sunglasses--they always wear a cap and sunglasses.”

The second robbery attempt, which occurred in Simi Valley about 1:15 p.m., was unsuccessful because the would-be robber got spooked, Simi Valley Police Lt. Ken Tacke said.

The robber entered a branch of the Bank of A. Levy at 3907 Cochran St. and handed the teller a demand note, Tacke said.

“The victim grabbed the edge of the counter and the robber thought she was pushing an alarm button,” Tacke said.

The robber ran out of the bank without any money. The incident was rather unusual, Tacke said, because “most of them are a lot braver than that.”

Police have no suspects. The would-be robber wore a white sweat shirt and jeans and a white baseball cap and sunglasses.

About two hours later, a branch of American Commercial Bank in Ventura was robbed by a man who entered the bank at 304 E. Main St. about 3 p.m. and handed the teller a note in which he threatened to shoot if he did not get cash, said Ventura Police Sgt. Roger Nustad.

No weapon was seen, but the teller gave the robber an unspecified amount of cash, Nustad said. He did not know how much was taken, but said the robber “didn’t get a lot.”

Police have no suspects. The man who robbed the Ventura bank is described as wearing a blue and red baseball cap, mirrored sunglasses, a white, long-sleeved sweat shirt and Levi’s with white tennis shoes. He is reported to be 25 to 30 years old, 6 feet tall and 165 pounds, and unshaven with a ruddy complexion.