San Diego

Loiterer Prompts Bank Teller to Trigger Panic Alarm

Deputies responded to the branch's silent panic alarm two days in a row.

The day after a robbery at a U.S. Bank branch in Poway, a teller became suspicious of someone loitering outside and triggered the bank's silent alarm.

The teller told San Diego County Sheriff's Department deputies and FBI agents that there had been a robbery when they arrived at the Scripps Poway Parkway branch Tuesday just after 5:30 p.m. .

The department’s ASTREA helicopter and K-9 officers were also at the scene trying to track down a suspect.

After further investigation by deputies and FBI agents, it was determined the teller became suspicious of a someone loitering in the lobby, according to SDSO Lt. James Cady.

Lt. Cady said the suspicious person made no demands or brandished any weapons and said nothing was taken from the bank. The robbery report was ruled unfounded.

The branch’s silent alarm was also tripped Monday at around 7 p.m. When deputies arrived, the suspect was not there.

FBI special agent Davene Butler confirmed that a robbery did occur.

Deputies or FBI agents did not provide any description of the suspect or detail his actions inside the bank.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story reported, based on information from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, that a second robbery did occur at the bank Tuesday. We regret the error.

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