SANTA ANA (CNS) - The suspected Fabio Bandit was charged Thursday in federal court with robbing an Irvine bank.
Ryan Ray Staples, 21, of Morgan Hill in Santa Clara County, was arrested following a holdup at the Bank of America branch at 4500 Barranca Parkway, authorities said.
Irvine police were called about 3:40 p.m. Tuesday to the bank when a silent robbery alarm was activated, said Irvine Police Department Sgt. Karie Davies.
A teller said the suspect “walked up, acting normal and doing nothing suspicious'' before handing him a note that said, “Give me $5,000,'' said FBI Special Agent Christopher Gicking.
The teller put $1,072 in cash in a plastic bag with a tracking device, Gicking said.
About 800 feet from the bank, police found the clothes the suspect wore, a blue shirt, gray pants, tan hat, hospital-style face mask and the robbery note, Gicking said.
Police used the tracking device to locate the cash at Barranca Parkway and Lake Road in Irvine in front of a dental office, Gicking said. Staples, who was wearing different clothes, matched the description of the robber so he was detained, Gicking said.
An Irvine officer found $1,253 in cash in Staples' pocket along with the tracking device, Gicking said.
Staples denied robbing the bank, Gicking said. Staples said he took an Uber to the city to ``check out the area,'' Gicking said.
Staples said the cash was his and that he earned it driving an Uber, Gicking said. He said he also received some of the money from his mother, Gicking said.
Staples, who was given the nickname because he resembles actor Fabio Lanzoni, is a suspect in a robbery of a bank in Tucson, Arizona, April 3, Gicking said.
Staples was arrested in New Mexico in connection with the Tucson bank robbery, then freed after posting bail, Gicking said. Tucson police said Staples was unaware of who Fabio was.
Staples was being held on $200,000 bail in the Orange County Jail.
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