An armed robbery transpired on September 28, in the unincorporated segment of Temecula, Riverside County, California. The incident unfolded outside a local business when a handgun-armed man coerced employees back into the premises in order to pilfer the contents of the safe. The employees not only relayed a detailed description of the suspect but were also able to tell authorities which way he fled. However, immediate law enforcement efforts involving use of both aviation assets and ground teams, were not successful in capturing the offender, according to the Riverside County Sheriff press release.
The Southwest Station's Robbery/Burglary Suppression Team (RBST) subsequently took over the case, capitalizing on available leads. Their comprehensive daylight search of the vicinity led to discovering vital evidence on a nearby property left by the perpetrator, and a sheriff's bloodhound uncovered supplementary evidence by retracing the accused's steps. By leveraging all available resources at their disposal, the team was able to identify the robber as Irvin Banks, a 50-year old resident of Temecula with a previous federal probation for robbery, and apprehend him following acquisition of warrants for his residence and vehicle.
Banks is currently under arrest facing charges for kidnapping with intent to commit robbery, criminal threats, and assault with a deadly weapon. His bail is set at $1,000,000. Investigators are now urging anyone with additional information to come forward.
