Police in Orange County, as well as the FBI, are seeking a man who robbed two banks in two days this week while disguising himself as an elderly man with a “Hollywood-stlye” mask and a pillow stuffed down his shirt, authorities said.
The robber’s most recent heist took place about 2:40 p.m. Friday at a Citibank, 234 E. 17th Street in Corona del Mar, the Corona del Mar Police Department said in a written statement.
“It was determined that a man had entered the bank and fled the scene with cash. It was reported he had a gun,” according to the statement. “No injuries were reported.”
Police searched the area but did not find the robber, officials said.
The same bandit is believed to be responsible for another robbery that took place about 3:50 p.m. Thursday at OneWest Bank, 3700 E. Coast Highway in Corona del Mar, according to the Newport Beach Police Department.
Our officers arrived and conducted an area check but could not locate the suspect.
Police said the robber brandished a pistol as he demanded money from a teller, ultimately getting away with about $8,000.
He fled the area on a black electric bicycle, police added.
In addition to a “Hollywood-style” mask with the face of an elderly man the FBI said he wore during the crimes, the robber also may have stuffed a pillow down his shirt to change his body shape, police said.
The robber’s been described by police as male, of unknown age, between 5 feet 7 inches and 6 feet tall tall and about 200 pounds. He wore a button up shirt, a black jacket, dark pants and black-rimmed glasses during the crimes.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at 310-477-6565.