Huntington Beach man arrested in robbery spree at 3 banks
A Huntington Beach man was arrested Wednesday in connection with a string of bank robberies, police said.
Authorities allege the man robbed or tried to rob three banks in Irvine, Anaheim and Hacienda Heights a total of five times beginning in June.
The most recent incident occurred Wednesday in Irvine when police responded to the East West Bank inside the 99 Ranch Market at 5402 Walnut Ave. at 12:02 p.m. after receiving a report of a robbery.
Witnesses told authorities that a man entered the bank and passed a note to a teller demanding cash, police said. After receiving money, he left the store and got into a dark-colored Dodge Ram at the Park and Ride at Jeffrey Road and Walnut Avenue, police said.
A bank loss-prevention officer was able to get the vehicle’s license plate number before the robber drove off, police said.
Police allege the man robbed the same bank in June and tried unsuccessfully to rob it again in August.
Officers identified a suspect based on the license plate number and began watching his apartment in Huntington Beach. An off-duty officer familiar with the case saw the vehicle abandoned in the Trabuco Canyon area.
Detectives arrested Ryan Alan Niedringhaus, 38, at a restaurant in the Trabuco Canyon area on suspicion of bank robbery and attempted bank robbery.
Police allege that Niedringhaus also tried to rob a Chase Bank in Hacienda Heights in June and robbed a Chase branch in Anaheim.
The total loss from the robberies is about $11,000, police said. The money has not been recovered.
Niedringhaus, who is listed in jail records as unemployed, was booked into the Theo Lacy jail in Orange with bail set at $50,000.
Police are continuing to investigate the case. Anyone with information is asked to call Irvine police Det. Jason Renshaw at (949) 724-7244.
Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
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