SF Cop from Pacifica Pleads Not Guilty in Bank Heist

A Pacifica man employed as a San Francisco Sheriff's deputy pleaded not guilty to bank robbery charges at his arraignment on Monday in a San Francisco courtroom.

Philip Chun Tong, 36, was charged with one count of robbery and one count of second-degree burglary for allegedly holding up a Bank of America on 3701 Balboa Street (in the city's Richmond District).

Tong entered the bank at 4:47p.m. on Nov. 7 presenting a teller with a note claiming he was armed and demanding cash but did not pull a weapon, prosecutors said. Tong allegedly walked away with $1,700.

The robber was captured by video surveillance cameras that police said matched a photo of Tong, prosecutors said. Fingerprints taken from the demand note also matched Tong's prosecutors said.

San Francisco police arrested Tong on Nov. 16.

Tong had filed for bankruptcy in July according to court documents, Bay City News reports.

“San Franciscans expect the men and women in uniform to uphold the laws and 
protect our residents," District Attorney George Gascón said in a prepared statement earlier this month.

“Mr. Tong’s conduct is deplorable and will be met with serious consequences.”

Tong posted $150,000 bail and was ordered by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Samuel Feng to stay away from the teller and the bank he's accused of robbing.

The judge also demanded he surrender all his weapons and his passport, an order his attorney said he'd already complied with.

Tong is due back in court for a Dec. 17 status hearing in which the date for his preliminary hearing will be set.

- Bay City News contributed to this report.