Holdup at Long Beach Bank

By Janet Sugiyama, Debbie Kanner and David Weiner
Forty-Niner Online
Sept. 13, 1995

California Federal Bank at the corner of Bellflower Boulevard and Stearns Street in Long Beach was robbed Tuesday by several armed suspects.

The suspects fled the scene in a late model turquoise sedan prior to the police arrival and were still being sought by authorities at press time, according to Long Beach Police Spokeswoman Karen Kerr.

The robbers made off with an undetermined amount of cash.

Some bank employees received minor injuries during the robbery, Kerr said, but apparently none were seriously injured.

Police said the suspects were African American males and were armed with handguns.

The police department is still conducting their investigation and did not have any further information regarding the suspects at press time.

A Blockbuster Video employee across the street, however, reported seeing a car with four or five people in it fleeing the scene.

The police department is trying to determine in which direction the suspects fled.

After the suspects had fled, the crime scene was secured with Long Beach police officers, members of the FBI and a crime lab specialist.

An ambulance was also on the scene. Inside the ambulance were two women with blood on their clothes and bandages on their faces.

The bank is next door to a Wendy's restaurant on the west side of Bellflower Boulevard, just south of the 405 freeway. Many Cal State Long Beach students pass the bank on their way to and from campus.

Long Beach police urge anyone with information regarding this case to call Detective Jim Olds of the robbery detail at (310) 570-7464.