Simi Valley Bank Robbery

April 25th, 2003

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In the early afternoon of Friday, April 25th 2003 the Bank of America in the Sycamore Shopping Center was robbed at gun point by a black male who fled east bound on Cochran street in a silver four door car.

Soon after the robbery, a report of the vehicle description was broadcast over the police radio. Patrol unit PAUL-24 spotted the vehicle traveling west bound on Racine St behind the shopping center. A short pursuit began through the residential area and came to an end when the suspects fled from their vehicle on Sebring St between Racine St and Niles St.

A perimeter was quickly established by officers responding to the bank robbery (211) call and the suspects were successfully contained to a single block. The perimeter was enhanced by Ventura County Sheriffs units who were able to relive some of the Simi Valley Police units on scene so they could respond to other calls.

Two Ventura County Sheriff helicopters, copter 2 and copter 4, took turns orbiting the scene.

The initial description of the suspects were two male blacks with shaved heads and muscular build, one had a long sleeved sweatshirt. A residence who coincidently matched that description was seen on Sycamore in front of his home. He was interviewed by police and released.

Simi Valley SWAT was called out to perform a house to house search of the block starting from the north end of the block. The SWAT team was divided into two teams, one working Sebring St and the other Lindale St. As the SWAT teams made their way down the block they evacuated residence and searched for the suspects.

After hours of methodically searching house to house one of the suspects was spotted hiding in a vehicle. Later in the day a person contacted police to inform them that they had been held hostage all day and had escaped.

As the SWAT teams surrounded the home where the person had been held hostage the suspect was seen at the north end of the block on Racine St by some spectators. The spectators yelled to near by police officers who quickly took the suspect into custody.

[1,877k 15:30 minutes]
Listen to the beginning radio traffic of this incident

[465k 2:35 minutes]
Listen to radio traffic concerning the hostage

Bank of America in Sycamore Plaza.

“This banking center is temporarily closed due to an emergency situation.”

Command post located at Racine and Ravenna.

Officer Anderson on the perimeter at Racine and Sebring.

This was the only news helicopter to show up to this incident.

Two SWAT teams systematically went house to house evacuating the residence while searching for the suspects. Each SWAT team was accompanied by a K-9 team.

The get-away vehicle “parked” where the suspects left it.

As the SWAT teams made contact with the residence they would hand them off to Officer Anderson so he could evacuate them from the area and interview them.

As one SWAT team would made entry to a yard or house the other SWAT team would maintain their positions to support them.

Ventura County Copters 2 and 4 took turns orbiting the scene.

The north end of Sebring was crowded with news media, curious passer-bys and displaced residences.

Another displaced residence being interviewed by Officer Anderson.

One of two Channel 4 news vans on scene.

This residence being escorted to safety by Simi Valley SWAT had an interesting story to tell. He had seen one of the suspects enter his tool shed. Even though the man wanted to leave his home, the SWAT commander thought it would be safest for him to lock his doors and wait for SWAT to arrive. Is that a Bible under this mans right arm?

Channel 4 news reporter.

Simi Valley Police PIO Lietenant.

Talking on a Nextel?

One suspect was located hiding in a car. This is him in the back seat on his way to jail.

Probably the most dramatic event during this incident was a person who had been held hostage all day by one of the bank robbers escaped to freedom.

Simi Valley SWAT

The cinder block wall on the south side of the Sycamore Plaza was lined with spectators. Soon after this photo was taken, someone from the crowd spotted the second suspect and the entire crowd then yelled for the police.

Simi Valley SWAT, a job well done.