Friday May 9

Police seek suspect in robbery

By Will Oremus / Daily News Staff Writer

San Mateo police are circulating a photo of a man who robbed a bank at Hillsdale Shopping Center shortly after noon Thursday.

The man walked into Citibank, waited his turn in line, then told a teller he had a gun and was robbing the bank. He didn't display the weapon.

The teller handed over an undisclosed amount of cash, and the robber walked out. No witnesses could tell police where he headed or whether he used a getaway car.

Police converged on the scene but couldn't find the man. However, the bank's surveillance cameras captured four pictures of him.

The suspect is an African-American male in his mid-twenties, about 6 feet and 200 pounds, with sideburns, a goatee and black hair tightly pulled back into a bun. He was wearing a dark suit, white-collared shirt, black tie and sunglasses.

San Mateo police are asking anyone with additional information to call their investigations unit at 650-522-7650 or the secret witness hotline at 650-522-7676.

Whenever a bank robbery occurs, San Mateo police Lt. Mike Brunicardi said, victims and witnesses should not resist. They should, however, take care to note the robber's physical characteristics, weapon, and any getaway vehicle.



E-mail Will Oremus at woremus@dailynewsgroup.com