71-year-old serial bank robber arrested again in California

(KTLA) – A 71-year-old serial bank robber has been arrested again, accused of stealing more than $60,000 from a bank in Los Angeles County last month, authorities announced Tuesday.  

On Dec. 21, Bruce Edward Bell, who has four prior bank robbery convictions and has spent over 40 years in the Federal Department of Corrections, is accused of robbing a bank in Sun Valley, California.  

“During this incident, Bell entered the location, grabbed an employee and pointed a firearm,” a new release from the Los Angeles Police Department stated. “Bell forced the employee to walk over to an access-restricted door. Bell demanded entry into the secure area and stated he would otherwise shoot the employee.”  

After gaining access to the secure area, the 71-year-old ordered another employee to fill a bag with cash, police said, adding that he fled the scene with $64,000.  

Witnesses who said they saw the suspect flee in a silver 2002 Volvo sedan called 911. Officers from LAPD’s Foothill Division spotted his vehicle and made a high-risk traffic stop resulting in his arrest, as well as the recovery of the cash and a black replica firearm, police said.

The 71-year-old was booked into the LAPD jail facility.  

Bell, who was let out of prison in July 2021, was on supervised release at the time of the incident. Investigators believe he may have robbed other victims who have yet to be identified.