A second Newport Beach bank robbed A...

A second Newport Beach bank robbed

A man armed with a replica handgun robbed a Newport Beach bank

Thursday afternoon -- the second bank robbery in as many days in the

city, police said.

The first robbery happened at 1:20 p.m. Wednesday at a Bank of

America at 3475 Via Lido. In that incident, a man passed a note to a

teller demanding cash and indicating that he was armed, Newport Beach

Sgt. Bill Hartford said.

He got away with an undisclosed amount of cash, but was caught on

the bank’s surveillance camera. He is described as a white man in his

mid- to late-30s, brown hair, muscular build and full mustache and

was wearing a blue-and-white, Hawaiian-print shirt, Hartford said.

Thursday at 1:30 p.m., police responded to a robbery alarm at the

Union Bank at 1090 Bayside Drive, Hartford said. When police arrived,

they interviewed a teller who said the bank had been robbed by a man

wearing a motorcycle helmet and goggles, a dark suit and gloves,

police said.

The man entered the bank carrying a lunch-style bag and approached

a teller working at a window with a low counter, Hartford said.

“He vaults the counter and produces a replica handgun,” Hartford

said. “He insists the tellers put cash in a nylon, insulated bag,

discards the gun, takes the bag and flees on foot.”

Police set up a perimeter around the bank and used police dogs to

help search for the suspect, but he was not found, Hartford said.

The bandit made away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Police are investigating if the two robberies are connected,

Hartford said.

Police investigate sexual assaults

Costa Mesa police are investigating two sexual assaults on West

Baker Street that may be related.

The first assault took place in September. The second happened May

9, according to police records.

In both cases, a suspect reportedly entered through an unlocked

door or window in the 600 block of West Baker Street in the early

morning hours, police said. Each of the victims was home alone at the

time of the attack.

Investigators with the Orange County Crime Lab are checking

evidence to see if the two assaults are related, Costa Mesa Sgt.

Marty Carver said.

The Costa Mesa Police Department is planning free personal safety

classes for adults in the near future. Details will be announced once

they are finalized, Carver said.

In the meantime, police are reminding people to lock their windows

and doors, including patio doors. They are also asking residents to

watch out for people acting suspicious.

Anyone with information about either assault is asked to call Det.

Stephanie Selinske at (714) 754-4873 or Det. Mike Delgadillo at (714)

754-5197

-- Marisa O’Neil