On Jan. 9, Southern California police announced they arrested a 71-year-old convicted serial bank robber on Dec. 21, after he allegedly stole $64,000 in cash from a bank in Los Angeles.
Bruce Bell is facing felony charges — including kidnapping — in connection to an armed robbery at the bank on Dec. 21 in the Sun Valley. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Bell entered the location, grabbed an employee and pointed a firearm.
Bell forced the employee to walk over to a door with restricted access, demanded to be let into the secure area and said that he would shoot the employee if he was not let in. The employee let him in, and Bell ordered another employee to fill a bag with cash. Bell left the area bank with more than $64,000 in cash.
Witnesses told officers they saw the suspect drive away in a 2002 silver Volvo sedan. Officers spotted the vehicle, conducted a traffic stop and detained the driver. While searching the vehicle, police learned the car was stolen and also recovered a replica firearm and $64,000 inside the car. Bell was arrested and booked into Los Angeles County jail.
Police released a picture that showed the suspect pointing a firearm wearing sunglasses, a black ski mask, a black hat and a gray scarf over a black jacket with an orange stripe.
Bell has four prior bank robbery convictions and has spent more than 40 years in the federal Department of Corrections for the crimes. He was released from prison in July 2021.
