Heist in Corona del Mar has officials on lookout

Deepa Bharath

Newport Beach Police are looking for a man in connection with an

armed robbery of a Bank of America branch office Monday morning.

According to police, a man, who was wearing a white surgical mask,

latex gloves and a ski cap, walked into the bank in the 3300 block of

East Coast Highway at about 10 a.m. carrying “an item in his hand he

said was an explosive device,” Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve

Shulman said.

He then demanded money from the teller, took an undisclosed amount

of money and ordered employees into the bank’s vault and customers to

lay on the floor, Shulman said.

Shulman said that the robber left the bank on foot and no one saw

him leave in a vehicle.

No one was injured during the heist.

Newport Beach Police crime investigators and FBI officials

responded to the incident.

Shulman said takeover-style robberies have happened in Newport

Beach, but are very rare.

Shulman said it is in the employees and customers’ best interest

not to try and fight the robber.

“Just because you have one robber, it doesn’t mean he does not

have helpers in the crowd,” he said. “He may have others on the

lookout or at the door helping him out.”

The best way to deal with such situations is to following any

orders, Shulman said.

“We always suggest that everyone comply with the demands of the

robber for their own safety,” he said.

Those with information about Monday’s robbery are asked to call

the Police Department at (949) 644-3790.