The FBI and other agencies are searching for six suspected armored-car robbers they say stole $550,000-plus in the last year in Hawthorne, Inglewood and South Los Angeles.
A seventh suspect, Deneyvous Hobson, 36, of Los Angeles, was arrested on Feb. 21.
One of the six fugitives, authorities said, is James Russell Davis, 34, of Los Angeles, Hobson’s half-brother.
At a press conference in West Los Angeles on Thursday, March 2, authorities asked for the public’s help in identifying the five unknown fugitives and capturing all six.
The group is accused of five robberies.
“This group has targeted ATMs and other businesses, including check-cashing locations,” said Don Alway, FBI assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles Office. “The suspects (operate) by overtaking the armored-car driver while they service drive-thru ATMs or exit businesses. The victim drivers have been zip tied and detained as they are held at gunpoint while being robbed.”
Law enforcement calls the seven, and others if they exist, the Chesapeake Bandits, because investigators say they belief the suspects met and planned robberies from a home in the 2900 block of Chesapeake Avenue in the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles.
“Clearly they are using some kind of intelligence to make their decisions,” Alway said. “There’s a lot of cash involved, and they’re picking their targets accordingly.”
Multiple firearms were used in the five robberies. One was a sawed-off AR-15-type firearm with a scope.
No injuries have been reported, although Hobson fired a shot during one robbery, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said.
Both Hobson and Davis were charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, Estrada said.
The last robbery was on Saturday, Feb. 25. One was in Hawthorne, another was in Inglewood and three were in South Los Angeles.
In three robberies alone, the bandits made out with nearly $570,000. Amounts for the other two robberies were not disclosed.
The robbers staked out the targets for weeks using a white Chevrolet Tahoe owned by Davis, according to a criminal complaint. All of the robberies took place in the morning or early afternoon.
After overcoming the driver, the bandits entered the armored vehicle, took the money and fled in various vehicles.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case. Brinks, one of the victimized armored-vehicle companies, is matching that.
“I’m grateful that no guard or employee has been injured to this date,” Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said. “(But) the weapons that we have described here will take lives. It will take just a moment or an impulse for the loss of life to be immediate.”
The robberies:
- Feb. 14, 2022, at 8:48 a.m. at Wescom Credit Union, 2871 W. 120th St., Hawthorne
- June 9, 2022, at 7:50 a.m. at Bank of America, 11525 Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood
- Sept. 15, 2022, at 12:20 p.m. at PLS Check Cashers, 2601 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles
- Jan. 9, 2023, at 7:15 a.m. at 99 Cents Only, 3060 S. Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles
- Feb. 25, 2023, at 9:56 a.m. at PLS Check Cashers, 2601 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles
The authorities said they believe Davis is driving one of three vehicles registered to him:
- A 2008 white Chevrolet Tahoe, license plate 7ABW490
- A 2015 white Lexus GS 350 sedan, license plate 9BNL712
- A 2020 Black Chevrolet Blazer SUV, license plate 8ULA955
The FBI asked that anyone with information about the case to contact agents at 1-800-CALL-FBI or at tips.fbi.gov.
Source: Orange County Register
Be First to Comment