Police: BofA robbery suspect ‘desperate’

A 46-year-old Glendale man who was arrested Monday night on suspicion of robbing a Bank of America mere blocks from police headquarters allegedly told officers that he did it because he was desperate for cash.

The Special Weapons and Tactics team took Peter Mosespour into custody late Monday at his apartment on the 300 block of North Cedar Street, hours after he allegedly robbed the Bank of America on North Glendale Avenue, police said.

“This guy was just desperate for money and elected to rob a bank,” Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Mosespour, who is reportedly unemployed, has no criminal history, but he may now face federal charges for robbing a bank, Lorenz added.

Authorities said Mosespour entered the bank about 11:27 a.m., demanded cash and fled on Wilson Avenue. As he ran away, several witnesses saw a dye pack hidden in the stolen money explode, police said.

Mosespour ran up a staircase, hopped into an idling car parked on the second-story garage of nearby shopping center and fled, police said.

A few hours later, police detectives traced the vehicle to a home address in Northridge and arrested the getaway driver, who was later released. Lorenz said the driver — who may not have known that Mosespour was robbing the bank while he was waiting for him — cooperated during the investigation and identified Mosespour as the bank robber.

Once officers learned the robber was Mosespour, Lorenz said, police teams conducted surveillance of his apartment while detectives obtained a search warrant.

Police teams later evacuated nearby residences and arrested Mosespour.

Detectives recovered dye-stained cash and clothing at Mosespour’s apartment. Police refused to divulge the amount of cash that was stolen.

Mosespour was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail Tuesday and was scheduled to appear in court today.