Chula Vista police are trying to solve two robberies that occurred within minutes of each other in the downtown area Monday morning.
The first robbery happened at 9:05 a.m. at the Union Bank at 410 H Street. The suspect handed the teller a note, demanding money and claiming he had an explosive device, according to police. The device he left behind turned out to be a small radio.
Officers said the suspect was last seen headed toward 3rd Avenue and G Street.
Just before 9:30 a.m., someone called police, saying they were trying to make a deposit at a nearby Wells Fargo when someone grabbed the deposit bag.
One or more suspects were believed to have run in the direction of Vista Square Elementary School on 5th Avenue and G Street. School administrators put the school on lockdown, but the person spotted on campus was soon identified as a district employee.
Chula Vista Middle School was also placed on lockdown as a precaution. Those lockdowns were lifted at 10 a.m.
The description of the suspect is similar in both instances, but police cannot say for sure if the same person committed both crimes.
The FBI released the suspect's photo, captured in surveillance video at Union Bank. He is described as in his mid 30s, 5-foot-7 and bald with a goatee. He was wearing a dark hooded jacket and dark pants.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
