Mark Tyson
Member
Bank robbery suspect is shot
By Elizabeth Hume -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Saturday, August 30, 2003
A Friday evening bank robbery ended in a Fair Oaks back yard with one suspect shot after confronting an armed homeowner, another suspect arrested and money floating in a swimming pool.
The incident began about 5 p.m. when the Wells Fargo branch at 2301 Watt Ave., in the Country Club Center, was robbed.
Sacramento County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Lou Fatur gave the following description of the evening's events:
A brown Mazda that matched witnesses' descriptions was spotted by a Sacramento police helicopter in the Fair Oaks neighborhood near Winding Way and San Juan Avenue. A pursuit ensued until the Mazda hit a parked car and crashed on the 4400 block of Plantation Drive.
"Officers see them jump out of the car and run in opposite directions, possibly armed," Fatur said.
The driver was quickly tackled and arrested.
The passenger crossed the street and climbed a fence into a back yard.
When he broke into the house through the back door, he was confronted by the 56-year-old homeowner, who had grabbed his pistol.
The intruder shot at the homeowner, who returned three shots before dropping to the ground when he saw officers enter his back yard.
The robber then turned toward an oncoming Sacramento police officer. The veteran of 3 1/2 years fired two shots, and the wounded suspect fell to the ground.
It's unclear whether the suspect was hit by the homeowner, the police officer, or both, Fatur said.
The homeowner, whose name was not released, was not shot but did injure his shoulder when he fell to the ground. He was taken to an area hospital.
The commotion astonished residents of the normally quiet neighborhood.
Scott Yesitis was in his house when he heard a circling helicopter and an announcement being broadcast over its loudspeaker. He went outside to find his street filled with officers.
"Every cop from the California Highway Patrol to Sacramento police to Sacramento County sheriff's to Citrus Heights police were on the street," Yesitis said. "Then we heard a couple of pops and ran back into the house."
Officers were at the scene late into the night, gathering thousands of dollars from the swimming pool and across the yard.
The names of the two men arrested were not released pending confirmation of their identities.
"I think that the citizens of Sacramento should be really pleased that all their law enforcement officers coordinated together so well -- this was really a team effort," said Sacramento interim Police Chief Albert Najera.
The wounded man is a suspect in at least seven bank robberies since July 24, Fatur said.
In most of the robberies, a man matching the suspect's description walked into a bank wearing a motorcycle helmet. He typically vaulted over the counter with a gun in his hand and demanded money from the tellers, Fatur said.
In many cases he fled in a stolen Toyota.
In the past weeks numerous agencies have been searching for the robber, and Friday night, they were ready for him, Najera said.
The man also may be a suspect in six earlier robberies between June 2001 and early 2002.
"We've been after this guy for a long time," Najera said.
About the Writer
---------------------------
The Bee's Elizabeth Hume can be reached at (916) 321-1203 or [email protected].
By Elizabeth Hume -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Saturday, August 30, 2003
A Friday evening bank robbery ended in a Fair Oaks back yard with one suspect shot after confronting an armed homeowner, another suspect arrested and money floating in a swimming pool.
The incident began about 5 p.m. when the Wells Fargo branch at 2301 Watt Ave., in the Country Club Center, was robbed.
Sacramento County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Lou Fatur gave the following description of the evening's events:
A brown Mazda that matched witnesses' descriptions was spotted by a Sacramento police helicopter in the Fair Oaks neighborhood near Winding Way and San Juan Avenue. A pursuit ensued until the Mazda hit a parked car and crashed on the 4400 block of Plantation Drive.
"Officers see them jump out of the car and run in opposite directions, possibly armed," Fatur said.
The driver was quickly tackled and arrested.
The passenger crossed the street and climbed a fence into a back yard.
When he broke into the house through the back door, he was confronted by the 56-year-old homeowner, who had grabbed his pistol.
The intruder shot at the homeowner, who returned three shots before dropping to the ground when he saw officers enter his back yard.
The robber then turned toward an oncoming Sacramento police officer. The veteran of 3 1/2 years fired two shots, and the wounded suspect fell to the ground.
It's unclear whether the suspect was hit by the homeowner, the police officer, or both, Fatur said.
The homeowner, whose name was not released, was not shot but did injure his shoulder when he fell to the ground. He was taken to an area hospital.
The commotion astonished residents of the normally quiet neighborhood.
Scott Yesitis was in his house when he heard a circling helicopter and an announcement being broadcast over its loudspeaker. He went outside to find his street filled with officers.
"Every cop from the California Highway Patrol to Sacramento police to Sacramento County sheriff's to Citrus Heights police were on the street," Yesitis said. "Then we heard a couple of pops and ran back into the house."
Officers were at the scene late into the night, gathering thousands of dollars from the swimming pool and across the yard.
The names of the two men arrested were not released pending confirmation of their identities.
"I think that the citizens of Sacramento should be really pleased that all their law enforcement officers coordinated together so well -- this was really a team effort," said Sacramento interim Police Chief Albert Najera.
The wounded man is a suspect in at least seven bank robberies since July 24, Fatur said.
In most of the robberies, a man matching the suspect's description walked into a bank wearing a motorcycle helmet. He typically vaulted over the counter with a gun in his hand and demanded money from the tellers, Fatur said.
In many cases he fled in a stolen Toyota.
In the past weeks numerous agencies have been searching for the robber, and Friday night, they were ready for him, Najera said.
The man also may be a suspect in six earlier robberies between June 2001 and early 2002.
"We've been after this guy for a long time," Najera said.
About the Writer
---------------------------
The Bee's Elizabeth Hume can be reached at (916) 321-1203 or [email protected].
