Wells Fargo Hold-up

Oceanside CA— A bank robbery gone bad ended peaceably this afternoon, October 12, 2015 when the suspect, walked out of the building with his hands up and surrendered to police.
The incident began around 11:15 this morning when a man walked into the Wells Fargo Bank, 3470 Marron Road in southeast Oceanside, gave a teller a demand note and claimed to have a weapon. The bank alarm was activated and police were notified.
“The bank alarm was confirmed to us as good, by a person inside the bank, over the phone and that the suspect was still inside the bank.” said Lieutenant Leonard Cosby with the Oceanside Police Department. “That person continued to give us updates as officers responded.”
When officers arrived at the scene, they set up outside the bank and secured the area while more assets, including a Crisis Management Team and SWAT, were dispatched to the scene.
“As they held in place, some of the bank employees escaped out a back door while others sheltered inside the bank behind some Plexiglas partitions.” continued Lt. Cosby “Once they are inside those partitions, they are safe, they can’t be hurt. Those people stayed inside throughout.”
The crisis negotiation team arrived at the scene but was unable to establish contact with the suspect. “The Crisis Team tried the entire time to talk with him but he wouldn’t talk to anybody.” said the Lieutenant. A teller inside the bank continued to relay information about the situation, over the phone, to the police throughout the attempted hold-up.
The Oceanside Police Department was assisted by CHP, Carlsbad Police, The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department along with units from Vista, Carlsbad and Oceanside Fire Departments. “For that many agencies to come together, to work together on the same sheet of music speaks well both of their departments and the training they have received.” Lieutenant Cosby said.
The suspect who’s surrender was facilitated by an employee of Wells Fargo Bank has been identified as Cole Hoffman DOB: January 18, 1985.
There were no injuries and no weapon has been found.

Chase Bank Hold-up

Just as Oceanside Police officers were taking a person into custody for the bank robbery at Wells Fargo, Oceanside Police dispatchers received a call of an alarm activation at the Chase Bank at 1710 Oceanside Boulevard.
The suspect entered the bank and presented a “demand note” to the teller demanding cash. The teller complied. The suspect left with $1,000.00 and was joined by another male just inside the exit doors.
The two men entered a waiting white van. The van left the scene. A witness called in the license plate of the suspect vehicle. A second Good Samaritan witness, followed the suspect vehicle into Carlsbad. The witness called Carlsbad Police dispatchers and gave them the pertinent information. He followed the van until it turned into the Boars Crossing parking lot in the 300 block of Carlsbad Village Drive in Carlsbad. Carlsbad Police dispatchers relayed the information to the Oceanside Police Department.
As Oceanside Police Department and Carlsbad Police Department officers converged on the scene, the suspects got out of the vehicle and walked in different directions. The witness was able to point both suspects out to the officers and both suspects were taken into custody without incident.
Arrested were, Tyler Francis Van Nevel, DOB: April 5, 1993 a Vista resident and Juan Maximino Mendieta Jr. DOB. January 31, 1992 from Oceanside.