Pleasanton police investigate bank robbery after suspect eludes chase

PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Police in Pleasanton are seeking an alleged bank robber who led officers on a brief pursuit Friday morning.

Officers responded Friday at 10:50 a.m. to a robbery that occurred at the Wells Fargo Bank at 4767 Hopyard Road.

Police said a male suspect entered the bank, approached the teller window and provided a note demanding cash. The note indicated the suspect had a firearm, but a firearm was not seen or displayed during the robbery, police said.

The suspect then exited the bank and fled in a dark gray or dark silver Audi A3.

Police said several witnesses saw the vehicle driving south on Hopyard Road and then into downtown Pleasanton.

Officers pursued the suspect as he continued onto northbound Interstate Highway 680 but terminated the pursuit, because the suspect was driving in an unsafe manner, police said.

The suspect was last seen driving west on Interstate Highway 580.

The suspect was described as approximately 6 feet 2 inches tall with a stocky build. He was wearing blue jeans, a black colored sweatshirt with a hood pulled up and white cloth material wrapped around his head and covering his face. He was also wearing dark sunglasses.

Police are investigating if the robbery is connected to other robberies in the Bay Area.

Wells Fargo is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the identification, arrest and conviction of the suspect.

Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call the Pleasanton Police Department at (925) 931-5100.