Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

SAN DIEGO—The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) San Diego Violent Crimes Task Force, La Mesa Police Department, and the San Diego Police Department have made an arrest of the individual believed to be responsible for a bank robbery committed in La Mesa, California.

On December 28, 2020, at approximately 1:10 p.m., a man robbed the Bank of the West, located at 8690 Center Drive La Mesa, California. The man approached the teller and produced a threatening note demanding money. After receiving money from the teller, the robber fled on foot.

Shortly after the robbery, San Diego Police Department officers arrested Matthew Clive Handy, 31, of San Diego, on unrelated charges. Due to the strong partnerships between law enforcement agencies and effective communication between the agencies related to unsolved bank robberies, a SDPD officer recognized Handy as the bank robbery suspect and contacted investigators with the FBI and La Mesa Police Department. FBI Agents and La Mesa detectives continued their investigation and gathered additional evidence, which it provided to the San Diego County District Attorney.

Due to these collaborative efforts by San Diego law enforcement, Handy has been charged with first degree robbery. If convicted, Handy faces up to 17 years in prison. His arraignment on the bank robbery charges is currently scheduled for January 8.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) San Diego Violent Crimes Task Force and the La Mesa Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the individual believed to be responsible for a bank robbery in La Mesa, California.

On December 28, 2020, at approximately 1:10 p.m., a man robbed the Bank of the West, located at 8690 Center Dr., La Mesa, California. The man, like other customers, waited in line until he was called by a teller. When he approached the teller, the robber produced a note demanding money from the bank. The note threatened that the robber possessed a bomb. No bomb or weapon was seen by witnesses inside the bank. After receiving money from the teller, the robber fled on foot.

During the robbery, the robber wore a black long-sleeved hoodie sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head and a baseball hat. He also wore a white bandana. Following the robbery, investigators obtained additional surveillance photos of the robber near the bank where the man can be seen wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt rather than the black hoodie. The robber, however, was still wearing the same white bandana face covering and pants.

Description of robber:

• Sex: Male
• Race: White
• Age: Approx. 25-30 years old
• Height: 5’10” tall
• Other: Longer hair and freckles on face
• Clothing: Black long-sleeve hoodie, dark pants, a white bandana face covering and a baseball hat; long-sleeve T-shirt

If you have information regarding this robber, please contact:

• San Diego FBI: (858) 320-1800; www.fbi.gov/tips
• San Diego Crime Stoppers: (888) 580-8477; www.sdcrimestoppers.org

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

With more people than ever doing their holiday shopping online, FBI San Diego wants to remind shoppers to look out for scams designed to steal your money and personal information. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), in 2019, Californians lost over $573,624,151 due to a variety of cyber scams.

Scammers count on you not to do your homework, and to believe those expensive gifts in pop-up ads are truly half price. Don’t fall for it. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers may offer unbelievable deals through phishing e-mails or advertisements. Some may offer brand name merchandise at extremely low discounts or promise gift cards as an incentive to purchase a product.

Charity related fraud is also on the rise during the holiday season. Scammers try to take advantage of those who want to make end-of-the-year donations. Charity scams are set up and designed to make it easy for you to donate money. Doing a little research will make sure your donation supports a legitimate charity. Beware of organizations with copycat names that are similar to genuine charities. Most reputable charity websites use .org, not .com.

There are ways to protect yourself when shopping and making charitable donations online:

• Buy directly from a secure and reputable website.
• Beware of social media posts that appear to offer special vouchers or gift cards, or particularly low prices. If you are requested to act immediately or there is an emergency, it may be a scam. Fraudsters create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly.
• Verify the legitimacy of buyers or sellers before making a purchase. If you’re using an online marketplace or auction website, check feedback ratings.
• Avoid solicitations or ads with misspelled words, broken English, or requests to pay for your order with a gift card. Do not click on links within unsolicited e-mails.
• Track your order through your original confirmation e-mail.
• Before you give to a charity, keep in mind legitimate charities do not solicit donations via money transfer services or ask for donations via gift cards.
• If you are not familiar with a charity, search its name plus “complaint” or “rating” to see if fraud has been reported. Beware of organizations with copycat names that are similar to genuine charities.
• Make contributions directly, never through a third party. Pay with your credit card or check. Don’t give cash donations.
• Check your credit card and bank statements regularly to make sure no fraudulent charges show up.

If you suspect you’ve been victimized:

• Contact your financial institution immediately upon suspecting or discovering a fraud.
• Contact local law enforcement.
• File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

Resources

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

The FBI Sacramento Field Office (FBI Sacramento) is working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to prepare for any potential violence related to the recent unrest in Washington, D.C. To support intelligence sharing and coordination with our law enforcement partners, we are operating a command post. Our personnel, including special agents, bomb technicians, evidence response teams, tactical teams, intelligence teams, and others are ready to support investigations and respond to potential threats within the 34 counties FBI Sacramento serves, including the state capitol.

We thank the communities we serve for continuing to submit tips regarding potential violence at upcoming events. The support of the public is essential for us to fulfill our mission of protecting the American people and upholding the U.S. Constitution. As we stated during the protests in 2020, we respect and preserve the rights of all Americans to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights. To ensure the safety of all, we remain in contact with our law enforcement partners and continue to share information about potential threats.

Anyone with information about violence and criminal activity may call our office at (916) 746-7000. You may also dial ‪1-800-CALL-FBI (1-‪800-225-5324) to verbally report tips and information. You may also submit information online at tips.fbi.gov. If an emergency exists, the public is urged to call 911 immediately.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

SACRAMENTO—The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Sacramento Field Office is encouraging civil, business, and religious community leaders to complete an online application to attend its virtual FBI Citizens Academy. The Spring 2021 class will be offered entirely online, enabling leaders from regions located far from FBI field offices to attend. Community leaders from the counties of Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lassen, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Tuolumne, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba are encouraged to apply.

“The COVID-19 pandemic tested the flexibility of our outreach efforts. We met the challenge well, finding that virtual platforms expanded our reach, enabling us to better connect with more geographically distant communities in our area of responsibility,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan.

Virtual FBI Citizens Academy classes provide seven weeks of virtual classroom instruction and participants will be invited to attend optional in-person demonstrations compliant with COVID-19 safety measures. To submit an application for the class that will begin on April 8, 2021, visit https://forms.fbi.gov/fbi-citizens-academy-nomination-form-sacramento/view. Applications must be received by February 18, 2021, to be considered.

The FBI Citizens Academy class provides community leaders with a view into how the FBI Sacramento Field Office serves communities within its 34-county region in California. Over the course of seven weeks, attendees learn how the FBI fulfills its mission and partners with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to combat significant crime. Content includes exploration of the FBI’s investigative priorities including terrorism, counterintelligence, civil rights, cybercrime, public corruption, and violent crime.

More than 500 students have graduated FBI Sacramento Field Office’s FBI Citizens Academy program since 2006.