Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Man With Handgun Robs Pacific Western Bank

Armed robbery occurs at Pacific Palisades bank on Sunset Boulevard. Four elementary schools in the village went into lockdown.

Updated 2:43 p.m.

A man brandishing a handgun robbed the Pacific Western Bank at 15310 Sunset Blvd. Wednesday morning in Pacific Palisades, according to Palisades Patrol.

Dispatcher Denise Montelongo said a call came in at 10:46 a.m. reporting a white man fled the scene on a bike heading east on Swarthmore Avenue. The man is described "possibly older than 40 with a receding hairline," wearing a blue polo shirt and blue jeans, and carrying a black handgun.

Find out what's happening in Pacific Palisadesfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Montelongo said the suspect fled the bank after the armed robbery with approximately $2,000.

"We have units driving through the Huntingtons trying to locate the guy," Montelongo told Patch.

Find out what's happening in Pacific Palisadesfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Seven Arrows, Corpus Cristi, Village School and Palisades Elementary School went into lockdown Wednesday morning, Montelongo said. The Los Angeles Police Department's West L.A. Division cleared the school lockdowns at 11:24 a.m.

LAPD ground and air units, as well as the FBI, were in the area investigating. Police officers at the bank told Patch Wednesday afternoon they believe the suspect was out of the area.

A note was posted on the bank entrance telling customers to head to its branch at 456 Santa Monica Blvd. The Sunset Boulevard bank will be closed indefinitely while the investigation continues.

Patch will update this incident as more information becomes available.

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