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'$5K Bandit' Allegedly Threatens Tellers With Butcher Knife In Bank Robberies

LOS ALAMITOS (CBSLA.com) — An Orange County bank was held up for the third time Tuesday by an alleged robber who threatens tellers with a butcher knife.

The "$5K Bandit" reportedly hit up a U.S. Bank branch in Los Alamitos around 9 a.m., according to spokeswoman Laura Eimiller from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The suspect, who got his nickname because he demanded $5,000 in an earlier robbery, got away with an unknown amount of cash.

Authorities said the bandit robbed the same bank on June 21, 2011, and June 30, 2012.

In all of the crimes, the suspect threatened tellers with a large butcher knife, said Los Alamitos Police Capt. Bruce McAlpine.

The man is also linked to two bank robberies in 2010 at a Bank of the West branch in Cerritos.

The suspect is described as a muscular 30- to 40-year-old.

In the latest robbery, he wore a gray long-sleeved shirt, dark or black pants, gloves, sunglasses and a black baseball cap.

People are encouraged to call Detective Jake Sorensen at (562) 431-2255, ext. 407, if they have any information.

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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