Suspect Sought in at Least 2 Bank Heists

A man who robbed a bank in Thousand Oaks on Monday is suspected in another bank robbery that occurred this week in Santa Barbara, federal authorities said Thursday.

The FBI says it is also investigating whether the suspect may have committed three earlier robberies at other banks in Ventura County--cases that remain unsolved.

Based on reports of his physical description and practice of handing a teller a threatening demand note, authorities believe the same man robbed World Savings Bank in Thousand Oaks on Monday and Bank of America in Santa Barbara on Wednesday.

A weapon was not used during either robbery. “The fact there was a note, the fact the person didn’t speak, the foot getaway and just the general description make us believe it’s the same man,” said David Nesbitt, Ventura FBI supervisor.

In both heists, the robber was recorded on bank video surveillance tape, Nesbitt said. Agents on Thursday released a photo made from the tape in the Santa Barbara case.

Agents would not release details about the earlier three unsolved bank robberies, except to say a general description of the robbers in those cases and the method of robbery were similar to the Thousand Oaks and Santa Barbara cases.

The robber in the two recent cases is white, 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 10, with a medium build, brown hair and a mustache. Anyone with information should call the FBI at 624-3995.