Man Robbed, Assaulted in Bank Lot on Way to Work

THOUSAND OAKS — A man was robbed and pistol-whipped outside a Thousand Oaks Boulevard bank Thursday, less than four blocks from the bank where a teller was shot and killed Monday.

The robbery occurred about 6:45 a.m. in the parking lot of TransWorld Bank at Duesenberg Drive. A man emerged from tall bushes on the side of the building, pointed a gun at Rodney Brown, demanded his personal items and wallet, and then beat him with the gun, said Sgt. Rod Mendoza of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.

After Brown, 39, of Thousand Oaks, collapsed to the pavement, the man took items from his pants, including his keys and his wallet with an undisclosed amount of money in it, and then ran off, Mendoza said.

There might have been a car waiting for the gunman in the residential area south of the bank along Los Robles Road, Mendoza said. Brown, who was getting out of his Dodge Ram window van to go to his office at Tropical Sports Wear above the bank, was taken to Columbia Los Robles Hospital. He was treated for head lacerations and released.

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Police described the suspect as a black male between 25 and 30 years old with short dark hair, 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds. He may have been wearing a dark black knit hat, a dark long-sleeved shirt and dark pants.

Police believe there is a second man involved, who was seen after the incident with the first suspect. He is described as a 5-foot-10-inch heavy-built black male wearing a long-sleeved blue, multicolored plaid shirt, green pants and a black mask.

There is no correlation at this point between this attack and the robbery Monday at Western Financial Bank that resulted in the slaying of Monica Lynne Leech, a 39-year-old mother of two from Camarillo, Mendoza said.

Ventura County sheriff’s detectives and the FBI are investigating Thursday’s incident as a possible attempted bank robbery, Mendoza said, adding that the suspects might have thought Brown had access to the bank.

There are four businesses and 12 offices above the bank.

“Brown was also senselessly hit and beat for no reason,” Mendoza said, comparing the crime with Monday’s robbery and slaying. “Any time something like this happens, it’s a tragedy, no matter what community it occurs in, and you can’t help but feel for the victims. They’re just trying to go to work and do their job and then you have the criminals who don’t think twice about taking from them.”

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After the incident, Brown ran toward Thousand Oaks Boulevard, leaving a pool of blood, a baseball cap, newspaper and water bottles next to his van.

“He ran out in Thousand Oaks Boulevard and a good Samaritan, who saw him running with blood coming from his head, stopped, found out what happened and then called the police,” Mendoza said.

Detectives and police dogs combed a nearby residential area and an office building for the suspects.

“I live in Echo Park and it’s safer there than it is in Thousand Oaks lately,” said Bugs Pemberton of Continental Studio Builders. “It’s surprising this goes on out here, but I guess it goes on everywhere.”

Bank employees and people who work in offices above the bank waited outside while police conducted their investigation. The bank’s supervisor and manager took about 10 deposits from customers as they pulled up next to the bank.

“Try not to live in fear, just be aware,” Mendoza told bank employees gathered in the parking lot. The bank and the rest of the building opened by noon, but some people did not continue their usual routines.

“I’m debating whether to even go up there,” said Linda Gwynn, of Conejo Window Tinting. “I thought Thousand Oaks was a safe place . . . I don’t think this is quite so bad, but in light of what happened at the other bank, this is very scary.”

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Gwynn said Brown worked for a Florida-based company and always arrived earlier than everyone else because of the time difference on the East Coast. Brown could not be reached for comment.

“It doesn’t make you feel real comfortable--it’s kind of scary,” said Dave Weatherman, who owns the West Coast Baseball School, also on the second floor of the building. “This type of stuff, you just don’t see around here.”

Next door at Decor Color and Design, Fred MacDonald was picking up supplies for his employer, Paint Works.

“It’s getting scary around here--this is hitting too close to home,” said MacDonald, who lives a couple of blocks from the bank. “They’re letting too many people in that don’t belong here. It’s not a small town anymore.”

Police are asking people to call 494-8266 if they saw anyone walking around the area or any unfamiliar vehicles parked in the area from 6:30 to 7 a.m. Thursday.

Correspondent Chris Chi contributed to this story.