Armed bank robbery caught on camera

AURORA, Colo. – Police have released surveillance photographs of a brazen armed robbery at a Wells Fargo bank in Aurora Saturday afternoon.

The images show the masked gunman entering the bank at 15301 E Hampden Avenue and pointing a handgun at customers and employees.

He initially escaped with an undisclosed amount of money but was captured roughly two hours later, police said.

Surveillance photo of the bank robbery at 15301 East Hampden Avenue. Aurora. June 2, 2012.

Heavily-armed officers stopped and searched nearly two dozen vehicles in the area of Iliff Avenue and Buckley Road as they combed the area for the gunman.

The U.S. Department of Justice has identified the suspect as Christian Paetsch, 45. He faces one count of “armed bank robbery” and one count of “brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.”

Paetsch is being held without bond. If convicted, he faces up to 32 years in prison.