Amador County – Authorities were investigating a daylight bank robbery last week after a man claimed to have a bomb and made away with an undisclosed amount of money from the Pine Grove Bank of Stockton on Highway 88.

Amador County Sheriff Martin Ryan announced the investigation in a release later in the day of the robbery. The release said at just after noon on Monday, Dec. 27, “the Amador County Sheriff’s Office received an emergency 9-1-1 call from an employee at the Bank of Stockton,” at 20004 Highway 88 in Pine Grove.

The employee said “the bank had just been robbed by a white male, carrying a bag, which he said contained explosives.” The suspect reportedly “demanded a specific amount of money, which he was provided,” and “then placed the bag on the ground inside the bank and fled on foot.”

Ryan in the release said staff members in the bank evacuated the premises prior to the arrival of sheriff’s deputies and detectives. “The bank and surrounding perimeter was secured by deputies, who searched the bank and immediate vicinity.”

A sheriff’s canine unit attempted to track the suspect, and the trail “led east from the bank to a wooded area behind a vacant building approximately 75 yards away.” Ryan said “detectives at the scene were able to quickly identify that the bag reportedly containing explosives was actually a soft sided cooler containing a piece of landscape brick.”

Sheriff’s detectives interviewed the bank employees and people living in the area, Ryan said. “Detectives also conducted a check of adjacent businesses and searched surveillance video from the bank and other area establishments.”

An Amador County sheriff’s crime scene investigator responded to the scene to process physical evidence that was recovered at the bank.

Based on witness interviews and review of surveillance video, the suspect was described as a white male, 40 to 50 year old, with a mustache. He was wearing a black visor over a black knit watch cap, or beanie. He also wore a black shirt, a green jacket and blue denim pants.

Ryan released surveillance photographs of the suspect taken by cameras within the Bank of Stockton.

The Sheriff’s office this weekend reported that it had “received a few telephone calls from citizens suggesting possible” identification of the suspect. The department is investigating all tips that it receives, and “thus far none have resulted in an arrest.”

Anyone with info may call ACSO at (209) 223-6500, or the Secret Witness Program, (209) 223-4900, or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.