A Rancho Cucamonga man arrested this past week for allegedly robbing eight Southland banks has been charged by a federal court, according to a federal agency.
Joseph Adel Noriega, 37, was taken into custody by San Marino police officers on Thursday after he allegedly robbed a Chase Bank in South Pasadena
The next day, he was charged federally with bank robbery, Los Angeles FBI Assistant Director David Bowdich said.
Noriega is believed to be the serial bank robber known as the “Bluto Bandit” because of a fake black beard he wore that made him resemble the character from the Popeye cartoons, according to the FBI.
In each “Bluto Bandit” bank robbery, Noriega allegedly passed a demand note to a teller and demanded cash.
In some of the robberies, the note advised the teller to remain calm and to remove the money within 15 or 30 seconds and to avoid deploying security services, according to the FBI.
The suspect avoided talking during the alleged robberies.
The first “Bluto Bandit” robbery occurred on June 10, while the last happened on Aug 12., according to the federal complaint.
They spanned Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties and the linked incidents were under investigation by more than a dozen law enforcement agencies.
Witnesses reported the suspect fled the scene in a white Volkswagen Jetta.
Following the Thursday robbery, officers spotted Noriega in his vehicle and gave chase.
Noriega was taken into custody without incident and, according to the complaint, officers found bank robbery demand notes in his car.
Noriega was turned over to federal custody Friday morning and already has appeared before a federal magistrate.
He will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.
