In an all too common occurrence, the First Community Bank in Rio Rancho was robbed on Tuesday afternoon.

It was the fifth bank robbery in the city in 2008. It was the first time that First Community Bank was the victim.

Rio Rancho police and the FBI are searching for the man who robbed the bank at 1000 Commercial Drive, near the intersection of Southern and Unser. The robber walked into the bank at about 4:30 p.m. and approached the teller, showing her a handgun that was in his waistband, according to Rio Rancho police spokesperson John Francis. He demanded cash and fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of money in an unknown direction.

The robber is described as a Hispanic male, between 5 foot 8 inches and 5 foot 10 inches tall, wearing a black warm-up type jacket and a black baseball cap. He was also wearing dark sunglasses. The suspect had a short mustache, along with an unshaven face and a tribal tattoo on the right side of his neck. It’s unknown what type of vehicle he may have fled the area in.

Anyone with information is asked to call the local FBI office at 889-1300 or Rio Rancho Police at 891-7226.

— J. Currier