The Los Angeles Police Department has put a halt to the spree of a seasoned bank robber following a tense encounter earlier last month, as detailed in a news release posted on the department's official website. The robbery suspect in question, 71-year-old Bruce Edward Bell, allegedly added another heist to his record on December 21, 2023, when he robbed a bank in the Sun Valley area, obtaining a hefty sum.
According to the LAPD, Bell coerced an employee at gunpoint, demanding entry into a secure area of the bank located on the 8000 block of Vineland Avenue. In what must have been a harrowing ordeal, the employee was forced to facilitate Bell's access to the bank's restricted sections. "Bell forced the employee to walk over to a restricted-access door," said the police statement, relaying the seriousness of the crime. It was there, after threatening to shoot, that Bell allegedly had another employee fill his bag with over $60,000.00 in cash before he made his escape.
A group of quick-thinking witnesses at the scene were crucial in tracing Bell's getaway, reporting his departure in a 2002 silver Volvo sedan. The arrival of officers from the LAPD's Foothill Division led to a high-risk traffic stop where the authorities captured Bell. During the stop, a search of Bell's car revealed a black replica firearm along with the stolen cash.
The situation led to Bell's arrest for Kidnapping, as per California's Penal Code 209(A), and he is now held at an LAPD jail facility with the booking number 6730081. Not his first rodeo, Bell carried the weight of four prior bank robbery convictions and had outlasted over 40 years in the clutches of the Federal Department of Corrections. Upon his release in July 2021, it appears Bell had not strayed far from his old ways, despite being under supervised release at the time of this latest incident. The LAPD believes Bell may have other victims yet to come forward and has released his photographs to help identify anyone else who may have crossed paths with him.
Folks with information regarding the robberies or Bell's other possible victims are encouraged to reach out to LAPD Detectives Mrakich and Delph. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through LA Regional Crime Stoppers or the “P-3 Tips” mobile application.
