Tag Archives: Anaheim

‘Mum’s the Word Bandit’ sought in failed bank robbery in La Mirada, Anaheim heist

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LA MIRADA >> A tight-lipped serial bank robber known to the FBI as the “Mum’s the Word Bandit” tried, but failed, to carry out his latest heist in La Mirada on Friday afternoon, authorities said.
The suspect received his moniker for his tendency to pass tellers a note demanding cash without speaking, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said. No weapons have been seen.
He showed up about 1:30 p.m. at the Bank of the West, 12709 Valley View Ave., Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Manuel Flores said.
He passed a teller a note demanding money, he said. When the teller failed to comply, he left empty handed.
The bandit was already being sought in connection with a May 18 robbery at another Bank of the West Branch, 4501 E. La Palma Ave. in Anaheim, Eimiller said.
Officials described him as a white man of about 60 years old, with a white beard. During Friday’s robbery, he wore a blue, short-sleeve, collared shirt, a blue baseball cap and tinted glasses.
He fled the area in a white Toyota Echo, last seen heading south on Valley View Avenue, Flores said.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Norwalk Station at 562-863-8711, or the FBI’s 24-hour Los Angeles-area tip line at 888-226-8443.

PHOTOS courtesy of the FBI

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Man sentenced for 1994 slaying of Diamond Bar gas station attendant

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DIAMOND BAR >> A judge sentenced a man to life in prison for the fatal shooting of an Anaheim man during a botched robbery in Diamond Bar more than 22 years ago.
A jury convicted Lino Acero, 39, in March of first-degree murder for the Nov. 18, 1994 slaying 42-year-old Mahfouz Ghabour of Anaheim. The jury also found true the special allegations that Acero personally used a handgun in the crime.
At his sentencing in the Pomona branch of Los Angeles Superior Court, he received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani.
Ghabour was working at an ARCO gas station on Diamond Bar Boulevard when Acero and a still-unidentified accomplice entered.
“During the failed robbery, one of the suspects fatally shot Ghabour,” Ardalani said in a written statement. The two killers then fled empty handed.
Jurors were shown surveillance video of the killing during the trial.
In the video, “Acero is seen entering an employee hatch to get behind the counter before pulling out a gun,” Ardalani said. “Ghabour then grasps his chest and starts to bleed before he falls to the floor.”
The two killers fled the scene. The case would remain unsolved for more than 20 years.
Despite an exhaustive homicide investigation, the case went cold, officials said.
Ten years later, Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives who were continuing the investigation had the surveillance video of the shooting featured on television.
“The video’s appearance on TV led to a tip on the shooter, however detectives needed to continue to investigate the case,” Ardalani said.
Authorities arrested and charged Acero in connection with the killing in June of 2014.

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Anaheim teens arrested in Covina, accused of stealing $3,000 in razors, baby formula, Rogaine

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COVINA >> Police jailed three Anaheim teenagers Saturday amid an alleged massive theft spree in which they collected more than $3,000 worth of razors, baby formula and Rogaine from stores in Covina, Glendora and La Habra, authorities said.
Jailed were Mirabela Stoican, 18, of Anaheim, as well as a 17-year-old Anaheim girl and a 15-year-old Anaheim girl, Covina police Lt. Tim Doonan said.
Security guards at Rite Aid, 139 N. Grand Ave., first called police about 3 p.m. to report three young women had just tried to steal a large amount of razors from the store, but dropped the goods and fled empty-handed, according to the lieutenant.
Security watched as the trio went across the street into a Vons supermarket and pointed them out to arriving police officers as they left, the lieutenant said. Police pulled over the suspects’ car and detained them. Stoican’s infant child was also in the car.
A large amount of baby formula believed to have been stolen from the Vons was recovered from the car, Doonan said.
“A further search of the car located six 30-gallon trash bags filled with stolen property,” he said. The items were primarily baby formula, razor blades and the hair regrowth product Rogaine.
“The property we recovered is valued at about 3,000,” Doonan said..
Investigators suspected the items had been stolen previously during the day during visits to at least one other store in Glendora, and two in La Habra, he said.
According to Los Angeles County booking records, Stoican was released from custody later in the day pending her initial court appearance after posting $20,000 bail.
The two underage suspects were taken to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, Doonan said.

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Anaheim cops catch La Puente crooks

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From the Anaheim PD:

On January 8th, the Anaheim Police Department asked for the public’s help in identifying and locating 2 males responsible for commercial robberies. Surveillance photos and video were distributed to the media.

Both subjects were believed to be responsible for 7 robberies that occurred in Anaheim since December 3, 2008. In these seperates cases, one or both men enter a commercial businesses acting as if they were customers or clients. A handgun was produced, money demanded and the robbery completed. One of the males has a 5-pointed star tattoo on his right elbow.

As a result of the media exposure, information was received from the public identifying the subjects. On Thursday evening, January 29th, robbery detectives arrested Jose Angel Rodriguez and Roberto Antonio Ruiz for these robberies. They were arrested near the 800 block of Dade Avenue in the city of La Puente, where they reside.( They were out in a public near near their residence). They have been booked in the Anaheim Detention Facility for the robberies.

The Anaheim Police Department extends their appreciation to the public for their

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