Crime & Safety

Update: Wells Fargo at Hamilton Robbed

Suspect described as white man driving a white mid-sized sedan with Nevada plates, according to police.

Novato police swooped down on the at Hamilton late Friday morning and began gathering evidence after the branch was robbed, police said.

Police were notified of a potential robbery at 11:24 a.m.,  Lt. Keith Heiden said. After questioning bank employees, it was found that no weapon was used by the suspect, described as a white man 35 to 40 years old with a medium build, he said.

No one was harmed during the incident at 5820 Nave Drive, Heiden said.

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Detectives searched for evidence on adjacent streets as bank employees were interviewed by investigators inside the bank. Air surveillance was used in the area search as well, Heiden said.

Heiden said there were several patrons in the bank when the suspect handed a note to a teller and was given cash. He spent about 2 minutes inside the bank.

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"We have a lot of witnesses," he said.

As the search took place, one officer was stationed outside the bank to tell customers the branch would be closed for a few hours.

Heiden said the suspect is a white man with black hair, about 5-foot-6 to 5-7, and wearing a gray button-down shirt and a dark cap with a red-and-white Atlanta Braves "A" logo. Initial reports were that he left the bank and headed northbound on Nave Drive in a white mid-sized sedan with a Nevada license plate.

Police have obtained surveillance photos from the bank but are not ready to release them to the media, Heiden said.

Anyone with information about the incident is invited to call Novato police at 897-4361 or 897-1122. The department’s Hot Tip Line is 800-848-0101. 

The Wells Fargo branch was robbed in 2009 and the suspect has not been apprehended. In that incident, a man entered the branch, presented a demand note to the bank teller and fled the bank with the money, unaware he also took an explosive dye pack that helps investigators track robbery suspects. The dye pack exploded around the corner from the bank on Roblar Drive, causing the suspect to drop some of the money. The suspect fled on a black, dirt-bike style motorcycle.


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