FBI search continues for branch robbers in California, Alaska

JPMorgan Chase and Global Credit Union branches were among those recently hit by thieves in southern California and Anchorage.

Federal Bureau of Investigation agents in California and Alaska are searching for men who robbed several bank and credit union branches in the past few weeks.

In Orange County, California, officials said a masked male stole $31,000 after opening fire on a teller and fleeing the Chase Bank branch in Lake Forest.

The suspect remains at large, the local CBS News affiliate reported.

Police said the man reached over the counter and fired a round toward the feet of the bank teller, but no one was injured.

Local police and the FBI said they later found a couple of items that they believe may be connected to the robbery and sent them for DNA processing.

Sheriff’s officials described the suspect as between 5 feet, 6 inches and 5 feet, 10 inches tall with a thin build. He was last seen wearing a black mask, bucket hat, yellow hoodie, tan pants and gloves and was carrying a silver revolver-style handgun.

According to FBI statistics, 1,112 commercial banks and 126 credit union branches were hit by robbers last year.

In a separate case in Anchorage, Alaska, the FBI is searching for a man who robbed three credit union branches in the past month.

The FBI said the suspect first hit a Credit Union 1 branch on Eureka Street and then robbed a Global Credit Union branch on Oct. 7.

Most recently, the bureau said, the suspect held up another Global Credit Union branch that is located in a Fred Meyer grocery store.

All three robberies happened in the late morning or early afternoon, Alaska Public Media reported.

“We’re seeing that this individual allegedly presented a note demanding money to a bank employee, and in that process, he also stated that he had a weapon,” FBI spokeswoman Chloe Martin said.

The report did not say how much cash the thief got away with in the Alaska heists.

The suspect is described as standing about 5 feet, 5 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes, and weighing about 155 pounds.

Among its guidance for preventing branch robberies, the National Credit Union Administration encourages credit unions to use greeters to monitor for suspicious behavior.

Greeters can also aid in identifying suspects by requiring them to take their sunglasses and hats off when they enter the credit union, the agency said.

2024-10-22T07:36:03-07:00
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