REWARD RISES IN TELLER'S KILLING.

Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

Local car dealer Pete Shaver is adding $10,000 to the reward for information leading to the capture and conviction of the robbers who killed bank employee Monica Lynne Leech during a takeover robbery in April.

The latest reward brings to $174,000 the total available to anyone providing the crucial tip authorities need to apprehend the robbers who shot the 39-year-old mother of two during the April 28 robbery at Western Financial Bank after the victim had complied with their demands.

Meanwhile, authorities investigating the case would not reveal details about the clues they have received as of Tuesday. The Ventura County Sheriff's Department has received approximately 300 tips, Sgt. Rod Mendoza said.

``There have been several (tips) leading us closer and closer,'' Mendoza said. ``The case is so sensitive we don't want to spoil anything, but we still are receiving new leads and we're following them up. We've had several leading us in the right direction.''

The WeTip crime hotline also continues to receive tips, which thus far number 19, said Bill Brownell, chief executive officer of the San Bernardino County-based hotline.

The most recent was called in within the last three days, he said.

Shaver, owner of Shaver Pontiac Jeep Eagle, just a few blocks up Thousand Oaks Boulevard from the scene of the slaying, was out of town Tuesday and could not be reached for comment.

But his son, Chris, said that his father was deeply affected by the senseless slaying.

``He felt like he wanted to try to do what he could do to see that that kind of stuff doesn't go on in our community,'' Chris Shaver said.

He said that to his knowledge it was the first time his father had offered a reward for the capture of a criminal.

``But I wouldn't be surprised if he had done it previously - he's that kind of individual,'' he said.

The robbers were described as a white male and a dark-skinned, possibly African-American male, both in their mid-20s, standing about 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing about 170 pounds.

The white male had light brown or dark blond hair and the dark-skinned robber had short dark hair and a mustache to the corners of his mouth.

Both wore nylon stockings over their faces, yellow jackets and hard hats, and blue jeans. They removed the masks while leaving, allowing some people in the area to glimpse their faces.

The white robber is suspected of firing the fatal shot.

They sped away in a white Ford Explorer or Jeep with a partial license plate reading 3TRB4 and which collided with another vehicle, slightly damaging the right front.

Days after the slaying, a group of banks in the Western League of Savings Institutions started a reward fund that now stands at $153,000, league vice president Fran Elward said.

The city quickly followed suit with its own $10,000 reward.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers is also offering up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the robbers.

Anyone with information should call the Ventura County Crime Stoppers at [phone] or [phone].

The WeTip number is [phone]. Information can also be sent to WeTip via the Internet at www.wetip.com.