A man wearing a black knit stocking cap and mirrored sunglasses
and claiming to be armed robbed Bank of the West on Monterey Road
in Gilroy shortly before 10 a.m. Monday.
GILROY – A man wearing a black knit stocking cap and mirrored sunglasses and claiming to be armed robbed Bank of the West on Monterey Road in Gilroy shortly before 10 a.m. Monday.
No one was hurt in the incident and police were unable to locate the man who they said fled on foot through an alley after exiting through the rear door of the bank.
Police armed with shotguns combed the alley west of the bank for nearly a half-hour but will now have to rely on the bank’s surveillance tape to find the suspect described as a 35- to 40-year-old male wearing a dark gray sweatshirt.
Bank of the West, which sports the large time and temperature sign near Monterey and First streets, is in close proximity to St. Mary Catholic School, although police said they do not believe the suspect remained in the area.
“Apparently he walked in, handed the teller a note demanding money and claiming he had a gun, got the money and left,” said Gilroy Police Department Sgt. Kurt Svardal. “(Bank of the West) has a good video system so we’re hoping to get a good look at this guy.”
Bank of the West manager Bob Mang said the bank is still trying to add up the amount of money taken by the suspect.
The bank was forced to close its lobby for 45 minutes following the incident, although its drive-through window remained open.
“(The teller) just grabbed some money and gave it to him,” Mang said. “She didn’t see the gun, but the note said he had one. … All the tellers are a bit nervous right now, but they’ll be all right.”
The robbery is the fifth of a Gilroy bank since January 2002, according to GPD statistics. The last robbery of a Gilroy bank occurred on April 12 at Monterey Bank, 805 First St. Police have not made any arrests in that robbery.
