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Published: 6:33 pm Friday, Dec. 02, 2011

Updated: 1:10 am Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011

Bank of America in downtown San Luis Obispo is robbed by man with a gun

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By Bank of America | Courtesy of the San Luis Obispo Police Department | purchase prints

A surveillance camera image that Bank of America furnished to the San Luis Obispo Police Department depicts what authorities say is the so-called Geezer Bandit robbing the bank's San Luis Obispo branch. This version of the photo has been edited at the bank's request out of concern for the teller's safety.

By Tribune staff | newsroom@thetribunenews.com

FBI: `Geezer Bandit' apparently responsible for SLO bank robbery

Police are looking for a man who robbed a Bank of America branch in downtown San Luis Obispo on Friday evening.

At 5:39 p.m., a man entered the bank at Higuera and Santa Rosa streets and waited in line for an available teller, according to a news release from the San Luis Obispo Police Department. He then approached the teller, handed her a note demanding money and pointed a gun at her.

The man was given an undisclosed amount of money, which included a dye pack, according to police. The dye pack is meant to render money useless because it permanently stains the stolen bills a bright red color.

After the man got the money, he left through the bank's main doors, police said.

As the man walked through the parking lot, the dye pack exploded and he dropped some of the money and the note he used during the robbery, according to police. He then walked toward Marsh Street, where he dropped more money.

The suspect is described as an elderly white man, about 6 feet 4 inches tall and 175 pounds. He was wearing black slacks, a white shirt, black tie, blue baseball hat and glasses. A witness at the bank said the man's face looked like plastic, as if he was wearing a mask or makeup. It was thought the man was trying to appear elderly.

A citizen who was unaware of the robbery saw a vehicle leave a parking spot on Marsh Street, near Toro Street, at a high rate of speed about the same time as the robbery, according to police. The citizen said the vehicle was a white BMW 5 Series sedan. Detectives are not sure if the car is associated with the robber.

Investigators are trying to determine if the San Luis Obispo robbery is related to other bank robberies in Southern California with the same suspect description.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 781-7317 or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP.

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