Tarzana Man Suspected in Grocery, ATM Crimes

A Tarzana man arrested Sunday for stealing $40 worth of shrimp and a 19-cent Kool-Aid packet is also a suspect in five robberies at local ATM machines in the past two weeks, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Corbett Dale Wilson, 31, was arrested on suspicion of robbery at a Lucky market in the 7100 block of Sepulveda Boulevard, after a customer allegedly saw Wilson stuff a bag of shrimp down his pants, said Det. I. Al Aldaz of the LAPD’s robbery unit at the Van Nuys station.

Five additional counts of robbery for recent ATM holdups will be filed against Wilson later this week, Aldaz said. Wilson is being held on $35,000 bail at the Van Nuys jail.

The ATM robberies took place Nov. 18-24. Four were at Bank of America branches and a fifth was at a Cal-Fed bank, all in the Van Nuys area.

Police expected to catch Wilson--nicknamed the “$300 bandit” because that was typically the amount he took.

After a victim completed a transaction, Wilson either displayed a knife or simulated a gun, Aldaz said. Then he would force victims to take out more cash, up to the machine’s limit--usually $300.

Aldaz said Wilson’s picture was taken by several ATM security cameras.

“I don’t think he realized or cared,” Aldaz said. “It was just a matter of time before he did something stupid.”

Police combed through all robbery arrest reports in the Valley trying to match the security camera pictures, said Operations Capt. Kyle Jackson of the LAPD’S Van Nuys Division.

“Al observed the suspect in jail and based on that, and the photos we had, we were able to make the connection,” Jackson said.

Police are asking victims of ATM robberies who have not filed police reports to call Van Nuys detectives at (818) 756-8371.