‘Bike bandit’ foils bank robbery escape in Hamilton: police

A man police have described as a “bike bandit” foiled a bank robber’s escape after a hold-up in Hamilton.

The robber arrived at the BMO bank branch at 375 Upper Paradise Road shortly after noon on Dec. 23. The bank sits in a large retail plaza surrounded by detached homes in the Westcliffe East neighbourhood.

Hamilton Police later learned a lone man arrived at the bank on a bicycle. He went inside and passed the teller a note demanding cash. The man indicated he had a weapon on him and verbally threatened the teller.

Other bank employees confronted the man who fled the branch empty-handed. However, when he returned to where he left his bike, he found his getaway vehicle missing.

“The dazed and confused male then kicked their legs in high gear and escaped north on Upper Paradise Road…. on foot,” police report. He was last seen about two blocks north near the intersection of Upper Paradise Road and Elmwood Avenue.

Investigators describe the bank robber as a white man standing five-foot-four and five-foot-eight. He wore a long, multi-coloured scarf, black sunglasses, a blue surgical mask, a black jacket with fur trim, black gloves, dark pants, and white shoes.

Meanwhile the bicycle thief, also wanted, is described as a man in all black clothes.

“Investigators asking area residents to check their residential cameras and their dash cameras during the time of this incident,” police said. Anyone with information or video evidence can call police at (905) 546-8934 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).