Man Robs Bank, Then Calmly Makes Getaway

A man strolled into a bank Saturday, demanded a teller hand over all her cash and walked away with an undisclosed sum, police said.

No one was injured in the robbery before noon at a Union Bank branch on Avenida Pico. The robber did not appear to be armed, said Orange County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Lynn Nehring.

A 37-year-old San Clemente woman said she was the only customer in the bank when the robbery occurred.

She said she was making a deposit when she looked over and saw the robber taking the teller’s money.

“He held it up right in front of my eyes, I couldn’t believe it,” the woman said.

“He was definitely a pro. He was so fast, so smooth, very quiet. He didn’t run or anything.”

“I’m just glad we didn’t end up locked up in a vault or something.”

The suspect got into a white Chevrolet minivan with a black luggage rack on top and headed toward Interstate 5.

Nehring said the FBI is investigating the robbery and officials will try to determine whether the same man was responsible for two other south Orange County robberies earlier this month.

The holdup was captured on videotape, Nehring said.

“Bank robbers, they’re an interesting breed,” he added.

“They just walk into a bank to rob it even though they know there’s a camera rolling.”