Bank robber sought

A $100,000 REWARD is being offered for information on this bank robber. Photo courtesy Chino PD

A reward of $100,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a bank robbery suspect who shot and injured a Chino police officer in a bank heist last year. The suspect has since been linked to other bank robberies.

The California Bank and Trust on Riverside Drive in Chino was robbed by a white male, 25-40 years old with a stocky build, on Feb. 29, 2012, a joint press release from the FBI and the Chino Police Department stated. He was armed with an assault rifle, similar to an AK-47, with a sling and drum magazine. He was wearing a ski mask, body armor over a dark-colored collar shirt and blue pants.

A police officer patrolling the area came upon the robber fleeing the bank. The robber fired shots at the officer, seriously wounding him.

The suspect left the scene in a dark gray Nissan Maxima with four doors and tinted windows.

A 911 dispatch center received threats just prior the the robbery from a male caller from a pay phone in the vicinity of the bank. Investigators now believed this was an attempt at a diversion, to delay a response to the bank robbery.

Since then, the robber has been connected to three further robberies and one attempted robbery.

He is believed to be connected to the March 12, 2012 robbery of the Bank of the West on Helen Power Drive in Vacaville. The suspect may also be involved in an attempted robbery of the Tri Counties Bank on Challenge Way in Sacramento three days prior to the Vacaville robbery. He is believed to have used the Nissan Maxima in both cases.

On July 6, 2012, a suspect armed with an AK-47-style assault rifle with a drum magazine also committed a take-over-style robbery at the Chase Bank on Mt. Si Boulevard in North Bend, Wash., similar to the other robberies. The robber was described as having a loud, deep voice with no obvious accent. He threatened tellers to hurry or he would shoot them. He carried the cash by hand, without a bag, to a dirty, reddish-orange Jeep Patriot or Liberty parked in front of the bank. The license plate may have been out of state and had a prominent blue stripe across the top.

The East Idaho Credit Union in Rexburg, Idaho, was robbed on Nov. 7, 2012. A suspect entered the bank around 4:30 p.m. with what appeared to be an assault rifle. He ordered employees and and customers into the vault and fled in a dark blue sedan with tinted windows after obtaining the money. The sedan had a red and blue license plate and was last seen headed south on the South Yellowstone Highway.

Anyone with information about this incident or the suspect’s identity or whereabouts is urged to contact investigators at a toll free number dedicated to the case at 1-855-9-BANDIT or send an e-mail to bandit@chinopd.org. Information can be provided confidentially. The suspect is considered armed and dangerous and individuals are advised to contact law enforcement immediately and not take independent action to apprehend the suspect should they come in contact with him.

Bank surveillance photographs of the vehicle and the suspect can be viewed at chinopd.org/. The FBI’s wanted flyer can be found at bankrobbers.fbi.gov/robbers-container/2012-12-07.3681698452.

Cole Mayer

Cole Mayer started writing for the Mountain Democrat in early 2012. He has written news, features and opinions in the past, and currently works the crime, court and fire beat.

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