Bank robber threatens to shoot teller in Costa Mesa

A robber threatened to shoot a teller at a Wells Fargo bank branch in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, according to police.

The robber walked into the bank at 301 W. 17th St. around 4 p.m. and showed a note to the female teller, police said.

The note stated the robber would shoot if the employee didn’t hand over money, and she complied, police said.

After grabbing the cash, the thief fled through the front doors. No one saw a gun, authorities said.

Police described the robber as a white man in his 30s or 40s, about 6 feet tall with a medium build and a dark goatee. He wore a baseball cap, a black, long-sleeve shirt, a dark tie and a transparent rain poncho.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Costa Mesa police at (714) 754-5356.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck