Officers from the Danville Police Department conducted a search in downtown Danville this morning, following the early morning robbery of First Republic Bank.

Lieutenant Mark Williams said just before 9:00 a.m., a bank employee arrived to work at the location in the 600 block of Hartz Avenue. After she unlocked the door, an unknown male followed her inside. The man displayed a handgun as well as a sawed off baseball bat and then demanded money from the employee.

While the robbery was taking place, two more employees arrived and were detained by the suspect who directed them to empty their cash drawers. After taking an undisclosed amount of cash, the man fled through a side door and escaped on foot. The employees left the bank and called 9-1-1 from a nearby business.

Officers from Danville PD, San Ramon Police and Contra Costa Sheriff’s Deputies, along with a K-9 unit, conducted a search of the downtown and have begun canvassing businesses looking for anyone who may have seen the male suspect. Williams said the FBI has been notified of the robbery and will be conducting a parallel investigation.

Police have released a picture of the suspect (attached). The suspect has been described as a white male, approximately 50 years of age, 6 feet tall, thin build with blonde-gray hair and beard. The man was last seen wearing a navy blue polo shirt, dark khaki pants, black fanny pack, a beige fishing hat and wraparound sunglasses.

Any person with information on the robbery or who may have seen the suspect is encouraged to contact the Danville Police Department Sergeant Allan Shields immediately at 314-3703.