By Josh Susong, The San Jose Mercury News
Identifying a portly man in a silly hat could earn someone an award. The man has robbed five banks and is wanted by police.
Sunnyvale public safety officers are looking for the man they’ve dubbed the “Gilligan robber,’' after the hat worn by the character Gilligan of the vintage TV show “Gilligan’s Island.” He has robbed banks across the Bay Area over the past year, police say.
Police say the robber, who has never shown a weapon, has also robbed banks in Redwood City, Mountain View and Newark. The most recent robbery was in Newark, earlier this month.
Wells Fargo is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the man’s arrest. A branch of the bank in Sunnyvale was robbed May 8.
The man is described as Filipino or Latino, in his late 40s, weighing 200 pounds or more. He sometimes wears sunglasses and has worn a black shirt and blue jeans in at least one case. Anyone with information is asked to call Sunnyvale detective Kip Melchert at (408) 730-7143.