TEMECULA, Calif. – A 56-year-old San Diego man was arrested for allegedly committing a string of robberies.
Thomas Albert Bentley is suspected of several bank robberies throughout the month of January in Las Vegas, Victorville, Rancho Cucamonga, and Temecula. Bentley has been linked to a January 3, 2019, robbery of a U.S. Bank located inside the Vons store in the 12100 block of Bear Valley Road. As with other robberies allegedly committed by Bentley he handed the bank teller a bag with a message inside. The message said for the teller to place the money inside the bag. Although no weapon was seen, Bentley according to Sheriff’s officials implied he had one.
On Friday, January 18, 2019, at around 5:10 p.m., a robbery was reported at the Chase Bank located in the 8100 block of Milliken Avenue in the City of Rancho Cucamonga. The robbery suspect handed the teller a note saying that the bank was being robbed. In the note it also said that he was armed with the gun. After the teller gave him an undisclosed amount of cash he fled the scene.
Through investigation, deputies linked the suspect to the other robberies beginning on January 3, 2019. The following day at around 1:14 p.m. the Temecula Police responded to a robbery at the Chase Bank in the 32000 block of Temecula Parkway in the CIty of Temecula. The suspect again handed a demand note to a bank employee. The employee complied with the demands giving the suspect an undisclosed amount of case. The suspect was seen leaving the scene in a white sedan. Officers began an area search and located the suspect and the suspect vehicle in a Pechanga Parkway parking structure.
Bentley was booked at the Cois Byrd Detention Center for Robbery. Authorities believe that Bentley was the suspect involved in other robberies in other counties and states. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Anyone with information pertaining to this investigation is encouraged to contact Investigator Fisher at the Temecula Police Department (951) 696-3000 or Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Dispatch (951) 776-1099.
