Man arrested by SMPD after robbery at US Bank
The man arrested on Wednesday minutes after he allegedly robbed US Bank on Wilshire Boulevard also is suspected of robbing another bank in West Hollywood last Friday.
The suspect, identified by Santa Monica Police as James Michael Stevens, a 53-year-old transient, was arrested at about 4:10 p.m. after he allegedly threatened a bank teller with a replica handgun and demanded money. He was booked into Santa Monica Jail and was taken into federal custody. Stevens made his first court appearance in federal court on Thursday to answer charges of bank robbery, said FBI spokeswoman Laura Bosley.
Stevens, known by the FBI as the “Gun and Newspaper Bandit,” also is suspected of robbing a Wells Fargo branch located at 8061 Santa Monica Boulevard on Valentines Day.
The FBI suspects Stevens, who may be using that name as an alias, in at least two bank robberies based on his description and method of operation. In both robberies, Stevens allegedly used a replica handgun wrapped in newspaper to intimidate tellers into giving him money.
In Wednesday’s hold-up at US Bank, located at 400 Wilshire Blvd., Stevens allegedly approached a teller, displayed the gun and demanded money. Apparently the teller was so frightened that she ran away, Bosley said. Stevens then allegedly approached a second teller with the wrapped gun and said, “It’s no joke, this is a robbery, give me what you got.” He then proceeded to a third teller and said, “Come on ladies, I’ve got a gun, open your drawer,” according to Bosley.
A US Bank employee called Santa Monica Police at 4:08 p.m. to report that the bank was being robbed. Santa Monica police officers responded in less than two minutes. Witnesses identified Stevens who was walking away from a parked car in the 1200 block of Court Four, the alley between Fourth and Fifth streets. Officers arrested the man and witnesses positively identified Stevens as the suspect.
Police searched his car and found a replica handgun in a jacket that witnesses told police Stevens was wearing in the bank. Officers also recovered a sack of money, however the amount is not being disclosed.
At Wells Fargo last week, Stevens allegedly approached a bank teller at 5:40 p.m., opened the newspaper, displayed the fake gun and said, “Give me the money and I’ll be gone,” according to Bosley.
Stevens wrote on a deposit slip and handed it to the teller that read, “This is a robbery, I have a gun, put the money in the envelope,” according Bosley. The teller complied and Stevens allegedly left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash.
“The investigation is still ongoing,” Bosley said. “We don’t rule out that he committed more bank robberies.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 21, 2003. Read the original PDF.