Crime & Safety
Bank Robber Hails Taxi for Getaway
An unemployed Watsonville man was arrested on suspicion of bank robbery in Castroville on Friday.
A bank robber trying to make a speedy getaway from a heist in Castroville was arrested after his cabbie yielded to sheriff's deputies Friday afternoon, the Monterey County Sheriff's Office reported.
Brandon West, an unemployed 34-year-old from Watsonville, is suspected of holding up the Rabobank in Castroville just before 1 p.m. Friday, the Sheriff's Office reported.
The robber came into the bank and gave a cashier a note demanding money. He also threatened to hurt her if she didn't keep quiet, according to the Sheriff's Office.
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She complied with his demands and the robber fled the bank. Witnesses said he got into a white taxicab, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Deputies spotted a white taxi and stopped it nearby. West, who was riding in the cab, ran away but was caught after a short chase, according to the Sheriff's Office. He was arrested and the cash was recovered.
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