A serial bank robbery suspect, who was recognized by a teller from his photo on an FBI "wanted" poster, was arrested Friday while trying to flee from deputies, who recovered two bags of money and a loaded gun.
The suspect, believed to be responsible for about a half-dozen robberies, entered a Washington Mutual branch at 18511 Chapman Ave., in an unincorporated area of Orange, just after 9 a.m. and approached a teller, said Jim Amormino of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
Another teller recognized the man from the FBI flier and alerted the bank manager, who tripped a silent alarm, Amormino said.
A deputy who was in the vicinity arrived as the suspect was about to get into his getaway vehicle, which was parked about a half-block from the bank, Amormino said.
When he saw the deputy, the suspect took off on foot, carrying two bank bags that Amormino said contained a "fairly large sum of money."
The suspect was taken into custody after running onto Chapman Avenue and into oncoming traffic, Amormino said. Despite slamming into the side of a vehicle, the suspect was uninjured, the spokesman said.
Deputies recovered a loaded .38 revolver, the suspect's vehicle and the money, Amormino said.
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The man is suspected in four other bank robberies in Orange County and one in Riverside County, Amormino said.
He is known by a particular moniker, but neither the nickname nor his identity will be released until FBI agents contact other victimized banks, Amormino said.
