SAN DIEGO -- A thief with a reddish goatee robbed a Clairemont Mesa credit union Tuesday, authorities reported.

The man handed a demand note to a teller at a California Coast branch office in the 4200 block of Genesee Avenue shortly after 10:30 a.m., according to San Diego police.

The bandit claimed to be armed but displayed no weapon, a dispatcher said.

He fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash toward a nearby car wash and home improvement store, then left the area in a green sport utility vehicle, possibly a Chevrolet Blazer or Bronco, or a Toyota Land Cruiser.

Witnesses described the robber as in his 20s or early 30s, wearing dark-colored clothing, including a black hooded jacket. He was carrying a bag with a flame-design logo on it, the dispatcher said.