THOUSAND OAKS : Suspect in Bank Robbery Arrested

A Calabasas man was arrested on suspicion of holding up a Thousand Oaks bank, minutes after he left his driver’s license at the bank in his haste to escape, authorities said Wednesday.

But it was a witness’ description of the suspected robber and his car that actually led to the arrest Tuesday of Jeffrey Dean Galleher, authorities said.

Galleher, 23, was stopped and arrested by a Sheriff’s Department traffic officer as he drove south on the Ventura Freeway at Kanan Road in Agoura Hills, said Sheriff’s Detective Ernie Montagna.

The robbery occurred about 5 p.m., when a man entered a branch of Bank of America at 223 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. After filling out a deposit slip, the man approached two tellers, pointed a small handgun at them and demanded money.

He gave each teller a small plastic bag to fill with cash, but that apparently was too slow for the robber, Montagna said.

Growing impatient, the robber placed the identification card on the counter as he grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash from the tellers, Montagna said. The robber then fled the bank, he said.

After stopping Galleher’s car, Deputy Cheryl Wade said she did not immediately know he was a bank robbery suspect.

“I didn’t realize who he was until I saw all the money on the floorboard of his car,” Wade said. She said some money was fastened in bundles by paper clips, and other currency was loose.

Galleher was unable to furnish his driver’s license, and only later was he informed that his license had been found at the Thousand Oaks bank, Wade said. A gun authorities believe was used in the robbery was found hidden inside Galleher’s car, she said.

Galleher is scheduled to make an initial appearance before a federal magistrate in Malibu today, said FBI Special Agent Gary Auer.