COMMENTS & CURIOSITIES:

You wouldn’t think so, but it’s true. Just because you’re a bank robber doesn’t mean you can’t go green.

Last Wednesday was a pleasant, sunny afternoon in Corona del Mar — just what you’d expect of a CdM afternoon on a Wednesday or any other day.

But according to the Newport Beach police, Daniel James Dunleavy of Long Beach was up to no good. They thought his behavior was highly inappropriate, and I would have to agree.

At 2:55 p.m., more or less, Dunleavy allegedly walked into the Bank of America branch at East Coast Highway and Marigold and told the teller he had a bomb. Tellers don’t like that. It makes them nervous.

Dunleavy also said he would like some cash, like, now. The teller followed instructions and handed over the cash, which caused Dunleavy to leave, which allowed the teller to exhale.

But just a short time later, and just a few blocks away, Dunleavy was nabbed, caught, detained, arrested and charged with bank robbery, which is not funny.

The misadventures of Daniel James Dunleavy of the Long Beach Dunleavys caught my eye for two reasons.

First, he is 60 years old, which seems a little, I don’t know, mature, for a bank robber. But then, you never know what people will do when they turn 60.

Second, and even more interesting, is that the cops of Newport Beach caught Dunleavy faster than you can say “Daniel James Dunleavy,” which is pretty fast.

Was he tailed by an eyewitness? He was not.

Double-crossed by a partner? Nope.

Tracked down with some state-of-the-art fingerprint/DNA/voiceprint thing straight out of “CSI: Miami”? Negative.

Believe it or not, the police found Dunleavy just blocks away, at a bus stop, waiting calmly and quietly for a bus.

I know we’re all supposed to reduce our carbon footprint, but I think the bus was a bad idea.

Personally, I always like to use a car when I rob a bank. When people are chasing you — or worse yet, shooting at you — waiting for a bus can be a huge problem. Even if it does show up, if it’s crowded, dragging canvas bags on and off that say BANK OF AMERICA in big red letters is an issue.

Being a director of the Orange County Transportation Authority, OCTA for short, I have a few suggestions for Dunleavy — if he insists on using the bus for his getaways, anyway. When he gets out, he should go to the OCTA website, www.OCTA.net, which has a wealth of information, then click on “Bus.”

He should definitely look into a monthly bus pass because the FBI believes he might be the guy they dubbed the “Chinstrap Bandit” for some reason after he made unauthorized withdrawals from banks in Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills and Long Beach.

With that many cities, a 30-Day pass, which is $45 and gives you unlimited use on all local routes, is well worth it. The 30-Day Seniors Pass is a super deal at $15, but Dunleavy is five years away from that. How unfair is that? Too old to be a bank robber and too young for the Seniors Pass. It’s always something.

He should also try the “Trip Planner” link on the OCTA site as soon as he gets back to a computer.

I have to be honest, Route 1, which is the bus Dunleavy was waiting for, was a not a good call. It runs along the coast from San Clemente to Long Beach, so I assume he was heading home after work, but as crowded as PCH gets, it’s not a rocket ride.

He could have walked a few more blocks to the Transportation Center on Avocado and caught Route 55 or 57 to the South Coast Metro Park & Ride.

Assuming the FBI didn’t get there first, that’s where he could have caught our new OC Express service, Route 794, which zooms you out to Riverside and Corona on the 91 Express lanes like a molecular transporter. Well not exactly, but it’s really fast.

So there you have it. Getting out of your car whenever possible is a good thing. Less traffic, cleaner air, everybody wins.

There is a lesson to be learned here, though. Doing something about global warming and robbing banks don’t have to be mutually exclusive. It just takes a little trip planning. That still leaves the problem of the canvas bags, but we’ll deal with that some other time. I gotta go.

PETER BUFFA is a former Costa Mesa mayor. His column runs Sundays. He may be reached at [email protected].