Reward upped for info leading to bank robber’s arrest

Washington Mutual Bank announced Wednesday it will match a $5,000 reward offered by Wells Fargo for information leading to the arrest of the cue-card bandit, who is thought to have attempted to rob 12 banks in Orange County, including a Costa Mesa Citibank and the Corona del Mar Wells Fargo.

FBI agents and Orange County Sheriff’s deputies are continuing their investigation and are looking for the public’s help identifying the man. The FBI calls him the cue-card bandit because he showed bank tellers a notebook with a note demanding $100s and $50s and not to touch the alarm. In Corona del Mar, the man left after the bank teller told the robber he had no cash. The cue-card bandit got away with an undisclosed amount of cash in the Sept. 1 Costa Mesa robbery.

The cue-card bandit is Asian, Latino or white, in his 40s, between 5-feet-6 and 5-feet-8, and weighs 170 pounds, according to the FBI. He is stocky with dark hair and an unshaven face and sometimes displays a black semi-automatic handgun and carries a merchant-style bag.

Anyone with information can anonymously call the Newport Beach or Costa Mesa police departments, or the FBI at (310) 477-6565.