A 71-year-old man with a history of bank robberies has been arrested once again after carrying out another heist in Los Angeles. Bruce Edward Bell, who has spent several decades behind bars, was apprehended following a robbery at a bank in the Sun Valley neighborhood on December 21st. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Bell managed to steal over $60,000 in cash during the incident. At the time of his arrest, Bell was under supervised release after being released from prison in July 2021. This marked his fourth bank robbery conviction, and he has already served over 40 years in the Federal Department of Corrections.
During the December robbery, Bell entered the bank and grabbed an employee, threatening them with a firearm. He forced the employee to lead him to a restricted-access area, threatening to shoot them if they refused. Once inside, Bell ordered another employee to fill his bag with cash before he fled the premises with over $60,000. Surveillance footage from the incident shows bank staff complying with Bell’s demands while keeping their hands up in fear. It is evident that Bell was armed with what appeared to be a handgun during the robbery.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing Bell driving away in a silver Volvo sedan and immediately called 911. Responding officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill Division spotted the suspect’s vehicle and performed a high-risk traffic stop. Bell was detained, and a subsequent search of his car uncovered a black replica firearm and $64,000 in cash. Currently, Bell is facing a kidnapping charge, and his bail has been set at $1.6 million.
The LAPD believes that there may be additional victims of robbery by Bell who have yet to come forward or be identified. Investigators are urging anyone with information or who may have been a victim to come forward and assist in the ongoing investigation. Bell’s history of repeated bank robberies raises concerns about his potential involvement in other unsolved cases. The authorities are working diligently to ensure that justice is served and that any additional victims receive the support and assistance they may need.