FBI hunts ‘Armada Bandit’ who robbed bank before

Los Angeles FBI agents have confirmed that they believe the robber of the First Bank in Costa Mesa this week to be the Armada Bandit, a man wanted in connection with six similar robberies in Orange County, authorities said.

At 2:52 p.m. Tuesday, police received report of a bank robbery at the corner of Harbor Boulevard and Baker Street, police said.

Witnesses told police that a man slid a demand note across the counter to one of the tellers.

The robber was described as a white, 50, 6 feet tall, 200 pounds with a dark mustache, police said.

The following are cities where the Armada Bandit has robbed:

Yorba Linda on May 11; Fullerton on June 11 and Oct. 15; Azusa on June 15; Costa Mesa on June 22; Los Alamitos on June 28 and Placentia on July 12.

Both times in Costa Mesa the bandit hit the same First Bank in the 3000 block of Harbor Boulevard, authorities said.

Police ask that anyone with information on the incident call Det. Dana Potts at (714) 754-5363.

— Kelly Strodl