A 21-year-old Petaluma man is behind bars after police say he tried to rob a customer at a Wells Fargo ATM on South McDowell Boulevard on Wednesday, then bolted from the scene before being tracked down a short time later.
Officers say the suspect confronted a customer at the machine, demanded money and collided with the victim during the struggle. The victim suffered a minor injury but declined medical treatment. The suspect ran off, triggering a coordinated search across the surrounding neighborhood.
According to the Petaluma Police Department, a witness quickly stepped in by following someone who matched the suspect’s description and calling in real-time updates. Those details helped officers narrow the search area while they moved in.
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, Henry-1, picked up the trail from above, tracking the subject as he headed toward the Petaluma Community Center and nearby baseball fields. With that information, officers established a containment perimeter and, according to the Petaluma Police Department, later located and detained the suspect without further incident.
Police say the attempted robbery took place at a Wells Fargo ATM in the 300 block of South McDowell Boulevard. The suspect was identified as 21-year-old Aiden Kohn and booked into Sonoma County Jail. He was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery, violation of probation and theft-related charges, according to the Petaluma Police Department.
How the search unfolded
Police say the witness who shadowed the suspect after the confrontation was key to the rapid response. By relaying movements as they happened, the witness gave officers a moving roadmap to follow.
With Henry-1 providing aerial tracking and officers setting up a second containment perimeter on the ground near the Petaluma Community Center and baseball fields, police say they were able to close in on the suspect and detain him without any additional injuries to officers or bystanders.
Evidence and what the police found
According to investigators, surveillance video from the Wells Fargo location shows the suspect physically confronting the victim and trying to snatch cash. Police say the person in the video was wearing the same clothing later recovered from Kohn’s backpack.
During a probation search of Kohn’s property, officers say they found clothing that matched descriptions provided by both the victim and witnesses, along with suspected stolen merchandise.
Charges and next steps
Police say Kohn was already on probation for prior theft-related offenses at the time of the attempted robbery. He was booked on suspicion of attempted robbery, probation violation and additional theft-related charges and is being held in Sonoma County Jail pending arraignment.
The Petaluma Police Department’s release lists Sergeant Ronnie Flores as the issuing officer. Media inquiries were directed to Lieutenant Zilverio Rivera at (707) 781-1277 and Sgt. Ronnie Flores at (707) 778-4450, according to the Petaluma Police Department.
