Behind the Badge
A man who police suspect of using fake pipe bombs during two Anaheim bank robberies in 2013 and 2016 has been arrested.
Victor Estigoy, 49, of Anaheim, was arrested Wednesday, April 13, during a traffic stop as he left work in Santa Ana, the APD said in a news release.
Detectives from the APD’s Robbery Detail made the arrest with the assistance of investigators from the APD Crime Task Force and the FBI’s Orange County Bank Robbery Apprehension Team (BRAT).
APD photo
A subsequent search of Estigoy’s home led to the recovery of evidence from a robbery of a Chase Bank in the 900 block of South Brookhurst Street on March 25, 2016, the release said.
Estigoy was in custody at the Anaheim Detention Facility with bail set at $100,000 on Wednesday, but on Thursday he was released from the Orange County Jail after posting bail.
In the Chase Bank heist, the suspect showed the teller a demand note and displayed an apparent pipe bomb. The suspect left with an undetermined amount of cash and left the device behind in the bank.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad responded and determined the device was fake.
APD photo
Detectives were able to trace components from the 2016 device that ultimately led to the identification of Estigoy as the suspect.
The robbery in 2013 occurred July 15 at a Bank of America in the 1800 block of South Euclid Street.
The suspect produced a demand note and again displayed an apparent pipe bomb to the teller. He made off with an undisclosed amount of cash and again left the device behind in the bank.
That device, too, later was determined to be fake.
