Bruce Edward Bell has spent over 40 years in prison for robbing banks, and the Los Angeles Police Department said on Wednesday (Jan 10) that he was again arrested again. He is 71 years old and was released three years ago, media reported.
Police said that Bell was detained during a holdup at a bank in Sun Valley, which is a neighbourhood in the San Fernando Valley, on December 21.
At the bank, a guy pointed what appeared to be a gun at a worker and seized $60,000 in cash.
Police said that “Bell forced the employee to walk over to an access-restricted door” and he “demanded entry into the secure area and stated he would otherwise shoot the employee”.
The police said that Bell forced another employee to put cash in his bag once he got inside the secure area.
He fled the scene with the cash.
Witnesses called the police and reported that Bell flew in a 2002 Volvo vehicle.
When LAPD officers stated they performed a traffic stop and a search after they saw the vehicle.
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Police found $64,000 in cash and a black fake weapon and arrested him on kidnapping charges.
The court records revealed that the criminal charges include second-degree robbery and kidnapping.
According to police, Bell has four past convictions for bank robbery and has served more than 40 years in prison. According to Federal Bureau of Prisons statistics, he was released from federal prison in October 2021.
Jail records showed that his bail was set at $1.6 million, and his next court appearance is scheduled for February 9.
Bell was named a “serial bank robber” by the Los Angeles police. The authorities also released the photos and information about him to gather information incase in case anyone else believed he victimised them.
