POLICE SEEK AID FROM PUBLIC IN `JIMMY BUFFETT' ROBBERIES.

Byline: Theresa Moreau Daily News Staff Writer

A rotund bank robber who dresses as if he were vacationing in the tropics has held up three San Fernando Valley banks in the past four weeks, and police are asking for the public's help to stop him.

In an attempt to capture the holdup man dubbed the ``Jimmy Buffett Bandit,'' authorities released Friday a high-quality color photograph from a bank surveillance camera.

Investigators are concerned that the robber will continue until caught.

``He's turning into a serial robber,'' said Detective Thomas Gattegno, assigned to the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Division. ``He's developing a pattern and he's going to rob multiple institutions for a long period of time if we don't catch him quick.''

The suspect is described as a white man, 6 feet tall, about 45 years old and heavyset. He brandished no weapon during the holdups.

Police call him the Jimmy Buffett Bandit because of his tropical attire topped off with a snap-brim hat decorated with an anchor insignia.

``But we've changed the name from Jimmy Buffett to Jimmy Buffet - he's been feeding at the trough,'' Gattegno joked.

Police urge anyone with information about the bank robber to call detectives at [phone].

On Aug. 1, the bandit entered Universal Bank at 21919 Erwin St. in Woodland Hills, placed a briefcase on the counter and demanded money from the teller. On his way out the door, he chirped to one bank employee, ``Have a nice weekend.''

He took an undisclosed amount of cash and fled in a pearl-white 1997 Toyota Camry sedan.

On Aug. 18, a man police believe is the same suspect entered Sterling Bank at 16661 Ventura Blvd. in Encino, placed a briefcase on the counter and demanded all of the teller's money. He fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Then on Wednesday, police said they believe the same robbery suspect entered City National Bank at 21800 Oxnard St. in Woodland Hills, placed a black satchel on the counter, demanded money and then fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Bank employees had seen him in the bank earlier the same day.

A reproduction device used by the Police Department transfers a section of time-lapsed video tape instantly into a high-quality color photo, a process police said will help them quickly identify suspects and result in quicker arrests.

``It helps us immensely because first of all we instantly get a color photo of really good quality, and it can get passed out to units right away,'' Gattegno said.

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Photo

Photo: An image from a bank security camera shows the ``Jimmy Buffett Bandit'' police said is wanted in three area robberies.