Newport bank robbery suspect pleads not guilty

Felony charges were filed Friday against a 56-year-old man suspected of robbing a Newport Beach bank and trying to stick up two others, then evading police who tried to catch up with him.

Barry Allan Buydens of La Quinta was arraigned in the Orange County Jail courtroom in Santa Ana, where he pleaded not guilty to second-degree robbery, attempted second-degree robbery and leading police on a chase, as well as a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.

Buydens was ordered held with bail set at $500,000. His next court date is Jan. 6 in Orange County Superior Court, according to jail records.

Buydens is accused of robbing a US Bank branch in a Pavilions supermarket at 2118 Newport Coast Drive at about 3 p.m. Dec. 21. Newport Beach police allege he handed a teller a note demanding cash and claimed he had a weapon.

He also is accused of trying to rob a Bank of America branch at 500 Newport Center Drive at about 12:45 p.m. Monday, but police say he fled before getting cash.

About four hours later, authorities allege, he entered a Citibank at 1100 Newport Center Drive and was recognized by employees because police had issued a bulletin. The employees activated an alarm, prompting him to flee, according to police.

Officers saw the suspect in a 2019 Mercedes-Benz on Newport Center Drive and tried to pull him over, but he eventually got away, police said.

He was arrested Tuesday in La Quinta.

Buydens also was wanted on a warrant after failing to appear in court in October on charges stemming from a May 24, 2018, robbery at a Bank of America at 21171 Newport Coast Drive, authorities said.

In that case, Buydens is accused of getting away with about $21,000 after saying he had a gun, according to testimony in his preliminary hearing in February. When police arrested him, they found $15,800 in cash, according to the testimony.

In a separate case alleging crimes in October, November and December 2017, he is charged with theft from an elder adult exceeding $950, burglary, grand theft, fraudulent use of a credit card and identity theft, according to court records.

Buydens, who was going by the alias Daniel Craig, befriended an elderly neighbor, whose husband had just died, and helped her set up electronic payments of bills on her computer, according to testimony in his preliminary hearing in February. Buydens is accused of using credit cards in the dead man’s name to steal about $30,000, according to testimony.

In April 2001, Buydens pleaded guilty to identity theft and was sentenced to two years behind bars, according to court records.

Daily Pilot staff contributed to this report.

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