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Bank Robber In California Still Has Four Hostages VOA News 29 Jan 2002 23:41 UTC 
Police in the U.S. state of California say a robber is still holding four hostages in a bank near Los Angeles, and is demanding $50,000 to win their release.
Police say the robber, who claims to be armed, released four hostages on Tuesday after holding them for several hours. Another hostage escaped on his own. The four remaining captives are acting as intermediaries in negotiations between the robber and the police.
Police have sealed off streets around the bank and ambulance and paramedics are on the scene. A special team of police armed with rifles and wearing bullet-proof vests has also been deployed and are on stand-by to rush into the building if it is learned the hostages are being harmed.
Police say a silent alarm was triggered inside the bank early Tuesday. The bank, Cathay Bank, was the first Chinese-American-owned bank in in Southern California.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
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