UPDATE:
At about 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, Bakersfield Police arrested John Thomas Bell Jr., 37, in Gardena. Bell was with Lachandra Victoria Leavell, 25, who was determined to be Bell's getaway driver according to the Bakersfield Police Department. Both have been booked into the Kern County Jail.
The original story is as follows:
The Bakersfield Police Department is looking for the man who robbed a southwest bank.
At 1:23 p.m. Friday, police responded to a robbery alarm at the 9000 Ming Ave. branch of Bank of America. That's on the west side of the Marketplace shopping center.
The man entered the bank, waited in line, and then gave the teller a note that said he was committing a robbery, that he was armed, and if bankers did not comply with his demands, someone would get hurt.
The man handed the teller an older style, full-sized Bank of America merchant bag, the teller put the money in the bag, and the man calmly exited the bank.
The suspect is described as
A black male in his 40s, between 6 feet and 6-foot-4", between 180 and 190 pounds, short black hair, mustache, beard and goatee with acne scars under his beard. He was wearing a black trench coat, black slacks, a dress shirt and tie, and was carrying an over-the-shoulder backpack or satchel. Witnesses described him as well-spoken and having good posture.
Anyone with information regarding the identity of the robbery suspect is encouraged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 661-327-7111.
