6 Gunmen Rob Bank; 2 Held, 3 Others in Standoff With Police

Six gunmen stormed a Huntington Beach bank Wednesday afternoon before leading police on a chase toward Long Beach and causing a massive rush-hour traffic jam on the San Diego Freeway.

Police found up to three of the suspects barricaded in a building in Long Beach near Woodrow Wilson High School, and an armed standoff with police continued into the evening, authorities said.

Huntington Beach police arrested one suspect during the chase, but declined to provide further details. They stopped another man on the San Diego Freeway’s 7th Street offramp, taking him into custody and creating a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam in the northbound lanes during the afternoon rush hour.

“We don’t know if he was involved or not. We’re trying to figure that out,” Lt. Ron Burgess said Wednesday evening. “All I know for sure is we have two people in custody at this point.”

The six men invaded the Bank of Yorba Linda at 16900 Golden West St. just after 3:30 p.m., waving guns and ordering employees and customers to the floor, he said. At least one customer was stripped of his wallet.

“They were there for just a short period of time . . . but got a lot,” Burgess said.

No gunfire or injuries were reported, and the suspects had fled in two cars by the time police arrived at the bank, Burgess said. Witnesses told police that five of the robbers may have fled in one car, and one robber in the other.

They also provided general descriptions of the robbers, which were quickly radioed to neighboring police departments.

The gunmen apparently drove north on Golden West before getting on the San Diego Freeway, Burgess said.