Three detained after attempted bank robbery at Wells Fargo in Palm Springs
Three people were detained after a bank robbery in Palm Springs Thursday afternoon.
At approximately 5:10 P.M., Palm Springs Police Department (PSPD) received a call reporting an attempted armed robbery at the Wells Fargo on Vista Chino and Sunrise Way.
According to PSPD, a man had entered the bank and contacted a teller. He then demanded money and threatened to shoot the teller. The man fled from the bank without any money and was seen running with a firearm to a vehicle waiting nearby.
There were no injuries or loss of money reported in the robbery, police said.
Palm Springs Police Sergeant Michael Torres told News Channel 3 that the department utilized FLOCK cameras and other license plate reader technology to identify the suspect's vehicle. PSPD then informed other nearby law enforcement agencies of the vehicle details.
Police said deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Office found the vehicle as it traveled in to Palm Desert. In a joint effort, both law enforcement agencies conducted a traffic stop around the area of Monterey Avenue and Ramon Road in Thousand Palms.
A man holding a firearm fled from the passenger side of the vehicle when it came to a stop. Deputies apprehended the suspect without incident after a brief search.
The driver and an additional passenger were also arrested.
The firearm was also located and determined to be a fake firearm, police confirmed,
There have been two other bank robberies in the Coachella Valley within the span of a month.
The first one happened on June 26 at the U.S. Bank on Highway 111 in Palm Desert. The second one happened on July 11 at the Mechanics Bank on Highway 111 in Palm Desert.
Palm Springs Police confirmed that they do not believe their robbery is connected to the Palm Desert robberies.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates on this incident.
