Suspect kidnaps teller from home in bank robbery scheme [UPDATED]

Anaheim police are searching for a suspect who kidnapped a bank employee from her home, forced her to drive to her bank and got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

"This is not something you see often," said Anaheim Police Sgt. Rick Martinez.

Updated at 10 p.m. The victim, who was pregnant and worked as a teller at a Bank of the West branch in West Anaheim, had the day off when a man knocked on her door, brandished a gun and demanded to be driven to the bank, Martinez says.

"We don't know how the suspect knew where she lived," Martinez said. "It causes us a lot of concern."

The man demanded that the teller drive him to the branch in the 600 block of South Brookhurst Street in her car. He forced her to park behind the bank. She then was ordered to retrieve money and bring it out to him, Martinez said.

An alert co-worker realized what was happening and called police as the woman exited the bank. The suspect escaped on foot through a back alley.

The woman, who was being interviewed by the FBI and Anaheim police robbery investigators late Tuesday, was not injured.

The suspect was described as a white man between 40 and 50, about 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds. The man had a mustache and was wearing dark clothing.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Comments

[mr. pink]

sounds fishy. she walked into the bank, got the money, then walked it back out to the dude? why didn't she lock the door once she got into the bank and call the coppers?

book'er boys.

[Michael]

Any bets the teller is in on the heist?

[Neil]

She was a fool to open the door to an unkown person. If she was not expecting anyone she should have ignored the knocks or called the police. A legitimate person will phone first. To hell with salesmen, unsolicited callers and bank robbers.

[211guy]

Totally unclear: was the money withdrawn from her bank account or bank money as in a robbery and appox how much?, don't see why this should be a secret.
Waiting,
Mike

[KnowsHer]

The police haven't released all the details. It's possible there were more people then just this one man involved. The teller was being stalked, they had been following her and where she lived and personal information about her. They threatened her and her family if she didn't do what they said.

It's easy to say what she should have done, when you weren't in her shoes. Give the woman a break.

[intro designer]

I happen to know this person she has worked for this bank about 10 years or so she is a hard working honest and religious individual, guys give her a break there is such things as freaking idiots that is what they do for a living.

[imaginewhatyouwoulddo]

This woman was trying to protect her family. She didn't sound an alarm because the robber threatened her mother and her husband if she said anything. Definitely not an inside job.