Alleged 'Puffy Coat Bandit,' Pomona man, jailed

UPLAND -- Detectives jailed a Pomona parolee Tuesday they believe to be the "Puffy Coat Bandit" -- responsible for a spree of seven bank robberies in three counties over the past three weeks.

Steven Dwayne Paulson, 46, was expected to appear in court to be charged in connection with the bank robberies today, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

Paulson is suspected in a string of seven bank heists reported between Dec. 20 and Jan. 9, officials said.

They include robberies in Glendora, Chino, Rancho Cucamonga, Cerritos, Corona and Lake Elsinore, officials said.

The "Puffy Coat Bandit" earned his name because of bulky jackets he was seen wearing during some of the crimes, according to the FBI.

A break in the case came Tuesday afternoon in Upland, Eimiller said.

"A detective with the Upland Police Department detained a driver matching the description of the suspect, who was driving a suspected vehicle," she said. "Further investigation by the Upland PD and the FBI resulted in the arrest of the suspect."

Authorities have previously said an accomplice may have acted as a getaway driver in the robberies.

"With regard to theory that a second suspect/getaway driver may have been involved, an investigation will continue to determine whether an accomplice was knowingly involved in the bank robberies," Eimiller said.