Suspect in three Contra Costa bank robberies arrested in Sacramento

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jun 4, 2009 | by Roman Gokhman

LAFAYETTE -- A man suspected of robbing a bank and riding away on a bicycle last month was arrested May 27 in Sacramento County after an officer recognized him from a flier, police said Thursday.

After he was arrested, 39-year-old Alfred Craven admitted to robbing the Lafayette bank and two others around the same time, Lafayette police Chief Michael Hubbard said.

The El Sobrante man also admitted to planning to rob the Sacramento County bank in front of which he was seen.

The Lafayette bank robbery occurred May 19 at the Pacific National Bank at 3528 Mt. Diablo Blvd. The robber passed a note to a teller, demanded money and was given an undisclosed amount. He pedaled away on a 10-speed bicycle.

After the robbery, Lafayette police Detective Adam Hernandez compiled a flier with the man's photo and sent it to Northern California police agencies. On May 27, a Sacramento County sheriff's deputy saw a man who matched the robber's description on a bicycle outside a Wells Fargo Bank branch in Carmichael.

The deputy approached the man, who pedaled away before ditching the bicycle and trying to outrun the officer, Hernandez said.

He was eventually subdued and led officers to a nearby pickup truck that he used to hide the bicycle after robberies.

"He admitted to robbing banks in Orinda, Lafayette and Walnut Creek," Hubbard said.

The Orinda robbery occurred May 8 at Bank of the West on Moraga Way. The Walnut Creek robbery took place May 22 at Guaranty Bank on North Main Street.

Reach Roman Gokhman at 925-945-4780 or rgokhman@bayareanewsgroup.com.