May 20: Atlantic Ave./Roosevelt Rd., Midday Robbery At Washington Mutual Bank; LBPD Captures Two of Three Suspects, Recovers the Loss And Finds a Handgun & Other Evidence  (May 20, 2002) -- Disrupting neighborhood life in upscale Bixby Knolls, robbers struck the Washington Mutual Bank branch on Atlantic Ave. at Roosevelt Road shortly before noon today. LBPD says that at roughly 11:13 a.m., one of three suspects gave a teller a note indicating he had a gun, but not brandishing the weapon. The group made off with some quantum of bank loss, although police as a matter of policy are tight lipped about exact amounts.
Police say they also recovered the bank loss and located a handgun and other evidence. All photos on this page courtesy of citizen photojournalist Bill Lovelace. |
LBPD responded in force, setting up a perimeter that encompassed part of the nearby Los Cerritos neighborhood. A command post was established on Pacific Ave. south of 36th St. near the 405 freeway.
At one point, a canine officer was brought in to scour the area, and using suspect descriptions and quick footwork, LBPD officers succeeded in apprehending two of three suspects who are in custody tonight.