BATON ROUGE -- Three employees were left in a bank vault Wednesday after a holdup that began when the robber confronted an employee outside, police said.

A female teller was leaving the Whitney Bank at 3617 South Sherwood Forest Blvd. about 5:45 pm when the robber pointed a gun at her and forced her back inside. The bank was closed at the time, Sgt. L'Jean McKneely said.

The robber, who had something covering his face, stole money from the bank and made the employees stay in the vault as he made his escape, McKneely said.

He was described as a black man about five feet eight inches tall wearing a long-sleeved brown shirt and blue jeans, McKneely said.