Bank Robber’s Gun Goes Off by Accident

A man robbed the California Federal Bank in Port Hueneme on Thursday, then accidentally dropped his gun on his way out, firing a round back into the bank. Nobody was hurt.

The incident, which occurred about 11:30 a.m. at the branch at 739 W. Channel Islands Blvd., is the 43rd bank robbery in Ventura County this year.

The robber, described as a thin Latino male in his early 20s with tattoos on his neck, handed a teller a folded $100 bill and asked her for change. When the teller unfolded the bill, she found a note inside demanding money.

The robber fled after being handed an undetermined amount of cash, but his pistol fell out of his pocket as he ran outside the bank and discharged when it hit the sidewalk. No one was injured, but the round shattered the bank’s front glass door. The robber then picked up his gun and ran off.

Authorities combed the area around the bank, located in the Oliveira Plaza shopping center, for more than an hour but were unable to find the robber.

The robber is about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighs about 150 pounds and was wearing a black baseball cap and black jacket. He is also a suspect in four other bank robberies in Ventura County this year.

Authorities ask that anyone with information about the robbery call the Port Hueneme Police Department at 986-6534, the FBI at 642-3995 or the Ventura County Crime Stoppers at 986-TALK.