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

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

The FBI’s San Diego Field Office, leading the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and working with all of our other local, state, and federal partners, is preparing for any potential violent activity related to the recent unrest in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere.

Given the unrest at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, we are maintaining a heightened posture to monitor for any emerging threats to our area of responsibility and throughout the country. We are focused on identifying, investigating, and disrupting individuals who were involved in the siege of the U.S. Capitol and/or those who may continue to incite violence and engage in criminal activity here locally and throughout the United States.

To that end, FBI San Diego is running a command post to gather intelligence and coordinate with our law enforcement partners on potential threats. We also have special agents, bomb technicians, the FBI Evidence Response Team, tactical teams, intelligence teams, and others to support investigations and counter any potential threat of violence to federal buildings, and our shared community.

We need the public’s help to protect our community and the rights of peaceful protesters. We are urging people in San Diego and Imperial Counties to call us at 1-(800)-CALL-FBI or go to tips.fbi.gov to submit information regarding any potential violence at any upcoming protest or event. If you know of an immediate emergency, call 911.

We cannot be successful without the help of the American people as we work to fulfill our mission: To protect the American people and uphold the U.S. Constitution.

In San Diego, news releases, public service announcements, and educational resources can be found by following the FBI on twitter at @FBISanDiego or our website: fbi.gov/sandiego.

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.

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