The Santa Barbara Police Department received a citizen tip that led to the arrest of a suspect in last Friday’s robbery at Bank of America, 3790 State St.
Suspect Robert Haig Royal, 33, a local resident who was tracked down and arrested in Ventura, was detained Saturday, but department spokesman Paul McCaffrey told Noozhawk that details were withheld until Thursday.
He said law enforcement recovered a vehicle associated with Royal, and “a bunch of money” — nearly $8,000 — that the department believes was stolen.
The Ventura Police Department assisted in the arrest. Royal was taken into custody, search warrants were served and he has participated in a lineup.
McCaffrey said Royal’s identity came from the tip after local media publicized security footage of the robbery and the suspect, described as a white male in his 30s.
The FBI also was involved in the investigation.
The robbery occurred just after the bank opened at 9 a.m. A man entered the bank and demanded cash from a male teller, but no weapon was seen. The loss was estimated at $9,000 in cash
— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk or @NoozhawkNews.