Santa Barbara police are searching for a suspect wanted in connection with a bank robbery that occurred on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at the Bank of America branch located at 1096 Coast Village Road in Montecito, California. The incident began just before 3 p.m. when the Santa Barbara Police Department’s Communications Center received multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting a robbery in progress. Surveillance footage captured a middle-aged white man entering the bank wearing a black medical mask, a dark-colored baseball cap, and a dark jacket. According to bank employees, the individual brandished an object that appeared to be a weapon and demanded money. However, detectives later determined that the object was actually a piece of metal configured to resemble a firearm, rather than an actual weapon. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect fled the scene on a dark-colored bicycle. He was last seen heading westbound on Coast Village Road. Officers from the Santa Barbara Police Department and Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene and conducted an extensive search for the suspect but were unsuccessful in locating him. As of Friday, the investigation remains ongoing, and no suspect has been taken into custody. Police believe this is an isolated incident and state that there is no ongoing threat to public safety. Authorities are urging the public to assist in identifying or locating the suspect. Individuals with information are asked to contact the Santa Barbara Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit at (805) 897-2327. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call the tip line at (805) 897-2427. The suspect is currently at large, and police continue to seek the public's help in bringing him to justice.