Police advise caution following bank customer robbery in Hercules – NBC Bay Area

Police are warning bank customers to be aware when leaving the bank after a third person was robbed in less than three months in the East Bay.

The latest robbery happened in Hercules last Friday and police said they believe the armed suspect staked out the bank looking for a suspect.

“The victim stated to us that they were leaving Chase Bank and they had [withdrawn] $500 and they carried that envelope out of the bank,” said Karla Lazo of the Hercules Police Department.

The customer was followed by a champagne-colored Lexus out of the parking lot and when they hit a red light one of the suspects robbed the victim.

“The suspect got out of the front passenger side, came up to his window and pointed a firearm at him, and requested for him to give the money in the envelope,” Lazo said.

Similar robberies have happened in the Bay Area over the past few months. In March, thieves flattened a bank customer’s tires in Haywards while she went to withdraw cash. She had $8,000 robbed from her.

In February, a woman who withdrew money from an Antioch bank was followed all the way home to Brentwood and was robbed and she unloaded her groceries.

“I think it’s very important to be aware of the area that you’re in,” Lazo said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Hercules, doesn’t matter if it’s Hayward, San Francisco. I think it’s very important for people to be very aware of their surroundings, especially if you’re carrying a large amount of money.”

Police said they advise customers to not walk out of the bank with cash in hand. And whether they bank inside or use an ATM to be on the lookout for suspicious characters.