Umpqua Bank on Pleasant Grove robbed, bystander ID’s suspect

A man suspected of robbing a bank in Roseville Friday afternoon has been arrested, with help from an observant citizen bystander.

At 3:55 p.m. Friday, November 2, Roseville Police responded to a robbery alarm at Umpqua Bank, 1050 Pleasant Grove Blvd. The robber was described as a white male in his early 30s, wearing a black beanie, sunglasses, gloves and a dust mask.  He demanded money, took an undisclosed amount of cash, and left the business. No weapons were displayed, and no one reported being injured. Bank employees did not see the robber leave in a vehicle.

About five minutes later, a bystander in the same area, who did not know about the bank robbery, called Roseville Police on a 9-1-1 line to report a suspicious person.  She reported that a man wearing a beanie  sunglasses and gloves ran across the parking lot, got into a vehicle and drove away, changing his clothes as he drove. The bystander provided dispatchers with a vehicle description, license plate, and direction of travel.

Using the information provided by the witness, Roseville Police officers and FBI agents traced the suspect to a residence in Citrus Heights and arrested him later the same evening.

Shawn J. Sharp, 37, of Citrus Heights was arrested on suspicion of robbery and booked into the Sacramento County Jail, where he is being held on $25,000 bail.

Roseville Police Chief Mike Blair said, “It is unlikely the suspect would have been arrested without the help of an observant bystander. The bystander did not even know for sure that a crime had been committed, but she noticed suspicious activity, paid attention to important details, kept herself out of harm’s way, and immediately called 911. We owe her a great deal of thanks.”