Marine Arrested in Bank Robbery
A Camp Pendleton Marine was arrested Friday shortly after he tried to rob a San Clemente bank, police said Friday.
Marine Corps Sgt. Willie Franklin Garrett, 26, walked into the Wells Fargo Bank in the 600 block of El Camino Real and slipped the bank teller a note demanding money, according to Orange County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Tom Garner.
The teller handed a sack to Garrett, who then left the bank. Moments later, a dye pack within the sack exploded as Garrett tried to flee the area, Garner said.
Garrett was stopped at the Avenida Pico offramp from northbound Interstate 5, Garner said. When arrested, Garrett was wearing camouflage clothing beneath his regular clothing, Garner said.
Garrett, who works as an ammunition technician in the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, was booked into Orange County Jail. Bail was set at $50,000.
Garrett, of Chicago, has been a Marine since December 1990 and has served at Camp Pendleton since April 1997, said Marine Capt. Kim Miller.
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