Crime & Safety
Halo Bandit Accused of Robberies in Yucaipa, Hemet Arrested at Border
The suspect, Raymundo Ramirez, 21, of Hemet, was arrested Nov. 11 at the San Ysidro border crossing when he attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico, sheriff's officials said.
A man wanted in connection with bank robberies in Yucaipa, Hemet, San Jacinto and Menifee, and a failed attempt at a Murrieta bank, was arrested Sunday at the San Ysidro border crossing when he tried to enter the U.S. from Mexico, Riverside County sheriff's officials said Tuesday.
The suspect, Raymundo Ramirez, 21, of Hemet, was behind bars Tuesday at Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, according to inmate records. His bail was listed at $60,000.
The FBI nicknamed the suspect the Halo Bandit in October for the halo on his Angels ballcap.
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According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, a man in an Angels ballcap and a Raiders sweatshirt robbed the Citibank on Yucaipa Boulevard in Yucaipa shortly before 3 p.m. Oct. 24.
The same suspect in the same outfit allegedly tried to rob a bank in Murrieta in southwest Riverside County about two hours earlier, according to Murrieta police.
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In Yucaipa, deputies responded to a robbery alarm at the Citibank at 34580 Yucaipa Blvd. at 2:51 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Sheriff's Department.
"Upon arrival, deputies learned that the suspect had entered the location and approached a teller," Yucaipa Station personnel said in a statement. "Once at the counter, he produced a note indicating he was armed and demanded money."
The teller complied and gave the man an undisclosed amount of money, deputies said.
"The suspect fled the location through the east doors and ran towards the back fence behind the neighboring liquor store," the statement said.
The suspect was seen jumping a fence dividing the property from the Hitching Post Mobile Home Park at 34642 Yucaipa Blvd., according to deputies. The suspect was last seen running through the mobile home park.
No injuries were reported in the Yucaipa robbery.
According to Riverside County sheriff's officials, the same suspect robbed the Bank of America at 26800 Cherry Hills Blvd. in Menifee on Sept. 27.
"Further investigation revealed the same suspect committed bank robberies between the months of April and October in the cities of Hemet, San Jacinto, Yucaipa and Murrieta," Menifee police Sgt. Victor Tejeda said in a statement.
On Sunday Nov. 11, sheriff's investigators in Perris received a call from the U.S. Border Patrol about a suspect detained at the San Ysidro border crossing after attempting entry back into the United States, Tejeda said.
Ramirez was arrested about 9:30 p.m. by San Jacinto police, according to inmate records. Menifee and San Jacinto police are part of the Riverside County sheriff's department.
Anyone with more info regarding was urged to call Investigator Mark Alanis or Guy Gilbert at the sheriff's Perris Station at (951) 210-1000.
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