Chopper 7 over the scene caught the suspect coming out of the bank with his hands up at about 11:40 a.m. Police arrested him without incident, but still had to investigate a black bag he left inside the bank.

Watch Bank Robber Surrender To Police

Lt. Tom Thompson of the Fife Police Department said the man entered the Bank of America in the 5000 block of Pacific Highway East shortly before 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

He was carrying a black bag, approached a teller and showed a note that said he had a bomb, Thompson said.

After gathering money out of the till, the teller handed the money to the man, but he slid the money back, Thompson said. The robber allegedly told the teller that he was just going to sit and wait for police, Thompson said.

He walked to the front door and sat in a chair, Thompson said. At one point he even lay down.

Fife police said there were about 15 people, including employees, inside the bank at the time. There were never any hostages and no one was hurt because the man allowed the bank employees and customers to leave the bank.

Police took the precaution of evacuating nearby businesses.

Thompson said the man realized surveillance cameras were moving inside the bank and waved at them in an effort to get the attention of officers. Police contacted him through their PA system and the suspect came out.

The suspect told police he didn’t have a bomb, but the Pierce County Bomb Squad suited up and went inside the bank. The bag the man left behind was destroyed by a disrupting device, but found to only have personal items including clothes, underwear and toiletries in the bag. No bomb was found.

Det. Ed Troyer said the man is a gambler who recently lost his job and was suicidal when he attempted to rob the bank.

Troyer said the suspect apparently changed his mind during the hold up. He remains in police custody.