Antioch police warn of recent rash of armed robberies targeting bank customers
Antioch police said Friday they're investigating "nearly a dozen" robberies related to bank visits in the past 90 days.
Police said the victims were robbed after leaving local banks. Four of the robberies happened at a different location after the victims left the banks. In six other instances, robberies happened in the bank parking lots.
Among the robberies was the early morning stick up of two Contra Costa County Fair employees last month who were depositing nearly $90,000 in fair revenue. That incident happened at around 2 a.m. on May 23.
No explanation was given as to why the two workers with the Contra Costa County Event Park Fair Grounds who had been tasked with making the night deposit of revenue after the Contra Costa County Fair ended were doing so at that hour.
Authorities said the suspects have stolen cellphones, wallets, and money from the victims.
Police said detectives detained two robbery suspects after a foot pursuit and one of the suspects was carrying a firearm. No details were provided regarding when the suspects were detained or whether they were connected to more than one incident
Police asked the community to be vigilant and take precautions. They said people should trust their instincts and be aware of their surroundings, and should show confidence and get away once they sense trouble.
They also recommended avoiding carrying large amounts of money, walking in well-lit areas, and not hesitating to report suspicious behavior to authorities.