Bishop bank heist

A gun-toting robber held up the Chase Bank at 400 N. Main Street in Bishop Wednesday evening, making off with an unspecified amount of cash and evading police at least through press time Thursday.

According to Bishop Police Department Sergeant Dan Nolan, at approximately 6 p.m., just as the bank was closing for the day, Bishop Police were notified that a robbery was in progress. Officers were on scene within minutes, but apparently just missed the suspect.

Nolan said the man had entered the bank, walked up to a teller and handed her a note demanding cash. He reportedly then showed the teller a gun, which was tucked in the waistband of his pants.

After getting the money, the suspect then fled the bank on foot and was last seen heading east on May Street. Bishop Police officers and Inyo County Sheriff’s deputies conducted an extensive search of the neighboring area, but at last report the suspect was still at large.

Police said it was unclear whether he remained on foot or used a vehicle in his escape. Anonymous tips have not provided any useful leads thus far.

The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 30-35 years old, between 5’7” and 5’11” tall, weighing about 200 pounds. He was wearing a tan baseball hat, black shirt, and light colored pants and work boots.

Nolan said this robbery was one of a series of Chase bank jobs nationwide in several states, all of which occurred on the same day (Wednesday) and all within hours of each other. Chase officials, however, reportedly think the events are coincidental, and at this point have no reason to believe the robberies are part of some kind of coordinated effort.

Bishop Police are running fingerprints taken at the bank, reviewing surveillance camera footage and circulating stills from those cameras as they continue to search for the suspect. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also assisting in the case, along with other law enforcement agencies.

Anyone with information on the robbery or the suspect is asked to contact Detective Mark Gutierrez at the Bishop PD, 760.873.5866.