The man who allegedly robbed the U.S. Bank branch in Lafayette on August 23 has been arrested, police said Wednesday.
The suspected robber, identified as 55-year-old Robert Keith Dennis of Oroville,was already in custody in Butte County Jail for a drug violation, according to police.
Local investigators, assisted by the FBI, determined the suspect may be tied to a series of recent bank robberies in Northern California and noted that a man answering his description was believed responsible for robberies in Brentwood, Napa, Roseville, and Sacramento.
The Davis Police Department was also investigating an attempted bank robbery allegedly by the same suspect. On Wednesday, August 31, an officer with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office saw a law enforcement bulletin with a picture of the alleged bank robbery suspect and was able to identify him as Dennis – who was already in custody in Butte County Jail.
Lafayette police detectives served arrest and search warrants at several locations in Oroville, assisted by the Napa Police Department, Oroville Police Department and Butte County Sheriff’s Office – arresting 47-year-old Elizabeth Fay Morse of Oroville after Napa police detectives were able to confirm her alleged involvement in some the robberies.
Dennis and Morse are currently being held at the Butte County Jail. Morse was arrested on a Ramey Warrant for robbery and conspiracy. She is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and will be transferred to Contra Costa County. Dennis is in custody on unrelated felony drug charges. When he is released from Butte County Jail, he will be arrested on a Ramey Warrant and will be transferred to Contra Costa County, according to police.
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A couple of bank robbers with a drug problem. I’m glad they were caught.
The first reports of the robbery by the police (via an alert on my phone) and as quoted by I believe this website identified the suspect as Hispanic. I wondered at the time how that could be considered a descriptive term (i.e. how would the witness(es) know). I’m wondering how useful that reference is and whether that may have delayed apprehension. Why would anyone assume he was hispanic?
The lens used gives this guy hands the size of Popeye’s, and I can’t tell what he is strangling there. A stuffed toy?
Howdy, David… it’s a handful of cash. We think he dropped some on the way out of the bank. Not sure if he ever brought a bag with him in any of the subsequent robberies…
Caught in my hometown!
Not exactly a criminal mastermind was he?
They don’t catch the smart ones.