VENTURA : Dye Could Help Police Nab Thief Red-Handed

Ventura police are searching for a red-faced bank robbery suspect who made off with a packet of bait money that exploded, releasing a powdery, red dye.

The suspect, a woman in her 40s, passed a demand note to a teller at the Bank of America at 2698 E. Main St. about 9:35 a.m., Friday. The teller handed the woman a small amount of cash along with the booby-trapped fake money, police said.

As the woman left the bank with the cash under her arm, an electronic beam triggered the device. Similar to a smoke bomb, the bait money began spewing a cloud of red smoke containing an oil-based dye.

“It dyes the skin or clothes or whatever it gets on,” Detective Kevin Williams said. “It sticks for probably more than a week or 10 days.”

Williams said he thought it was the first time such a device had gone off during a bank robbery in Ventura.

Witnesses told police the woman was wearing a red Chico State sweat shirt and black pants. The demand note said the suspect had a weapon, but none was seen.

Witnesses also told police the woman escaped in a four-door Burgundy or maroon car driven by a man.

Detectives hope the tell-tale dye will arouse suspicion and trigger a phone call to police. “She’s going to be out there wandering around and if somebody sees her, we want to hear about it,” Williams said.

The FBI is also investigating the robbery.