Thanks to a sheriff’s deputy with a good memory, a 27-year-old man has been arrested in the “Chubby Bandit” series of bank robberies including ones in Carlsbad, Encinitas and Poway.
The FBI, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Carlsbad Police Department on Saturday announced the arrest of Aaron Alan Hyman in connection with the heists.
He is in custody at Vista County Jail and is being held on $100,000 bail, according to jail records. His arraignment is set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Vista Superior Court.
Hyman was arrested in the area of state Route 78 and El Camino Real by Carlsbad officers and detectives working jointly with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department and the FBI, the FBI said.
“Hyman’s arrest was the direct result of a multi-agency investigation into a string of bank robberies and at least one commercial robbery … in Carlsbad, San Diego, Solana Beach, Poway, Encinitas and San Marcos,” the FBI said in a news release.
Since Oct. 9, local law enforcement and the FBI have been investigating a string of bank robberies by an individual dubbed the “Chubby Bandit,” the FBI said.
“Bank surveillance photographs of the ‘Chubby Bandit’ were distributed to area law enforcement agencies and the public,” the FBI said.
Hyman was identified by an unnamed sheriff’s deputy, the FBI said.
“The deputy identified Hyman as someone he had previous law enforcement contacts during his patrols,” the FBI said. “The Carlsbad Police Department also independently developed information identifying Hyman as the ‘Chubby Bandit.’”
The “Chubby Bandit” series involves five bank robberies, one attempted bank robbery and the robbery of one local pharmacy:
- Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012, at 5:32 pm, US Bank, 12655 Scripps Poway Parkway, Poway.
- Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, at 1:03 pm, Chase Bank, 7176 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad.
- Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, at 1:30 pm, Chase Bank, 607 Lomas Santa Fe, Solana Beach, California. This was an attempted robbery.
- Monday, Oct. 15, 2012, at 2:47pm, Wells Fargo Bank, 276 North El Camino Real, Encinitas.
- Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, at 2:23 pm, US Bank, 770 Village Drive, Carlsbad.
- Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, at 4:11 pm, Wells Fargo Bank, 11986 Bernardo Plaza Dr., San Diego.
- Wednesday Oct. 10, 2012, at 12:38 p.m., CVS Pharmacy, 191 Woodland Parkway, San Marcos.
Anyone with information concerning the “Chubby Bandit” is asked to contact the FBI at 858-565-1255 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477. You may remain anonymous by calling the FBI or Crime Stoppers.
