Suspect jailed following Cerritos bank robbery


CERRITOS >> Deputies jailed an alleged bandit Friday after he used a fake bomb to rob a Cerritos bank, authorities said.
Deputies first responded about 9:30 a.m. to reports of a robbery at a bank branch in the 11300 block of South Street, Lt. Martin Rodriguez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau said in a written statement.
“A lone male adult had entered the bank, demanding money, and claimed he had an explosive device on him inside a plastic bag,” Rodriguez said.
The robber obtained a “moderate amount” of cash and left the purported bomb inside the bank near a row of tellers before fleeing, the lieutenant said.
Officials evacuated the bank and summoned a bomb squad to examine the device, who found it contained to explosives.
Deputies found and detained a man matching the robber’s description about two hours later, around the corner at 195th Street and Pioneer Boulevard, Rodriguez said.
Witnesses identified the detained man as the robber, and money believed to have been stolen in the heist was found in his possession, officials said. He was booked on suspicion of bank robbery, making criminal threats and making a bomb threat. Bail was set at $100,000.
Detectives withheld the suspect’s name Friday, “as investigators look into the potential for additional similar robberies committed by the suspect,” Rodriguez said.
The FBI has joined sheriff’s officials in the investigation.

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