Bomb Scare at Bank

Sky 12 was over the scene just minutes after a man walked into a Wachovia bank in Palm Springs, saying he had a bomb in a bag.

It happened about 11:30 Tuesday morning at the Wachovia bank on Forest Hill Boulevard, just east of Military Trail

Authorities treated this very seriously, knowing that there could be a real live bomb ready to go off, inside a bank lobby.

Police say a guy walked into the Wachovia bank carrying a bag, and went up to one of tellers and handed her a note.

According to police, the note said "I'm a former bank employee, I know how this works, I have a bomb, give me the money."

Once he got the cash, he left the black cloth bag on the counter at the teller window and left the bank.

The bank and some nearby stores were evacuated, and Forest Hill Boulevard was shut down.

"Well I think it's crazy! We've run into crazy times and maybe it's the situation of the country. But I think it's really, really crazy," said Maria Garcia, who works at a bakery across the street from the bank that was robbed.

"It's ridiculous, man! I can't believe that south Florida is getting so bad like this, man," said Matthew Yaw, a bank customer.

Once the scene was cleared, bank employees were allowed to return to work. They waited at a Taco Bell for a couple of hours while the bomb squad was investigating.

Palm Springs Police released bank surveillance pictures of the man. He's described as a white male, about 30 years old, 5'8" to 5'9", wearing a red-hooded sweatshirt, and a bandana covering his nose and mouth.

When he left the bank, they say he got into a white SUV with a getaway driver, and they went north on Military Trail.

Police aren't saying how much money was taken in the hold-up.

As for the black cloth bag that was left in the bank, it turns out there was no bomb in it. Just an ordinary fire-extinguisher.