OCEANSIDE–Police officers foiled an attempted bank robbery in progress an Oceanside Wells Fargo Bank.
On Monday at 11:02 a.m., Oceanside police dispatchers received a phone call regarding an armed robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank at 3470 Marron Road. The reporting party was a teller inside the bank. The suspect presented a demand note for money and claimed to have a weapon.
Police officers were immediately dispatched as the suspect said he was going to take hostages.
As officers arrived, they quickly began to set up a perimeter. Two employees managed to exit the bank out a back door. They were taken to a safe location and debriefed. The other nine employees inside the bank were able to “shelter in place” behind plexiglass barriers. The barriers kept them safe from the suspect, who was threatening to shoot them.
Officers and deputies from adjoining jurisdiction responded to the seen. The crisis Negotiation Team and SWAT Team arrived and took up positions.
At 12:46 p.m., the suspect, Cole Huffman, 30, left the building with his hands up and voluntarily surrendered to the police. His surrender was facilitated by an employee of Wells Fargo Bank, who was on the phone with the police. The employee acted as a go-between for the police and the suspect and was able to get him to surrender himself.
The suspect was taken into custody without incident. No one was injured during the incident. No weapons were recovered.
