Bank robbery reported at Casitas Plaza Shopping Center in Carpinteria

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a bank robbery at Union Bank located at the Casitas Plaza Shopping Center in Carpinteria.

The suspect was described as a white man in his late 50’s with a gray stubble on his face, wearing sunglasses, a plain black t-shirt, blue jeans, and a black L.A. Dodgers hat with gray writing. The suspect is about 6-feet tall and heavy set weighing around 250 pounds, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

He was last seen walking towards the IHOP restaurant located nearby.

The bank robbery was reported just before 2 p.m. Wednesday. No weapon was ever displayed according to investigators.

Authorities set up a perimeter around the area and continue to search for the suspect. The Sheriff’s Office said the suspect handed a teller a note demanding money and walked out the front door after he was given an undisclosed amount of cash.

Deputies were not able to locate the suspect despite a search with assistance from a Sheriff’s helicopter and K-9 unit.

The Sheriff’s Office believes this is the same suspect that robbed a Montecito Bank & Trust in April located across the street from the Casitas Plaza Shopping Center.

The Sheriff’s Office released two surveillance photos of the bank robbery suspect and seeking the community’s help to identify the man. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division at 805-681-4150 or leave an anonymous tip at 805-681-4171.