Apr 4, 2008

Man in wheelchair allegedly robs bank

Police say suspect appeared as if he needed electric device

By Banks Albach and Jason Green / Daily News Staff Writers

A senior citizen in an electric wheelchair allegedly robbed a bank at Stanford Shopping Center on Thursday afternoon, and managed to motor his way to freedom, authorities reported.

Police described the suspect as a white male, 65 to 70 years old, with gray hair and a beard. He was last seen at about 4:25 p.m. heading toward El Camino Real in a wheelchair, one of his legs in a cast, said Agent Dan Ryan of the Palo Alto Police Department. Both of the suspect's legs were wrapped in some type of bandages or gauze.

The suspect entered a Wachovia Bank at the shopping center, allegedly pointed a black handgun at a teller and demanded money, Ryan said. The hood of the man's sweatshirt was pulled over his head during the incident.

"It sounds unusual because it's certainly not the fastest getaway in town," Ryan said.

Police did not disclose how much money the suspect absconded with but it appeared as though he needed the wheelchair, Ryan said. The device was large, bulky and probably required some type of hydraulic aid to lift.

Roughly 10 minutes before the heist, a man in a wheelchair, presumably the bank robbery suspect, entered a nearby Sharper Image and asked for a shopping bag, a request perplexed store employees fulfilled, Ryan said.

Clerks then watched the man get into a white service van with red lettering, which Ryan said may have belonged to a paratransit service.

"We're not sure the person who was driving the van was aware of what this guy was doing," he said.

Wachovia employees recalled seeing the suspect with a Sharper Image bag, said Ryan, adding that it may have been used to carry the loot.

"We believe he was the same guy," Ryan said.

Employees of the bank declined to be interviewed as they left the scene Thursday night and the Sharper Image clerks who witnessed the events weren't available for comment because they had already left for the day.

Anyone with more information about the incident is asked to call the Palo Alto Police Department's tip line at 650-329-2190.

Daily News Staff Writer Kristina Peterson contributed to this report.

E-mail Banks Albach at balbach@dailynewsgroup.com.