***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
Date: February 18, 2009
Contact: Asst. Press Information Officer Mike Dekowski
Subject: Citibank Robbery Suspects In Custody
Whittier, CA – On February 10th at 4:59pm, Whittier PD officers were dispatched to a call of an armed robbery at the Citibank, located at 15401 Whittier Blvd. The suspect entered the bank armed with a knife, and wearing a bandana over his face. He demanded cash from several tellers and fled the bank with and unknown amount of money. As the suspect left the bank, a witness followed him outside and watched him get into a white Lincoln LS and leave the location. The witness obtained the license plate number of the vehicle and later passed the information onto officers.
Utilizing the information provided by the witness, officers obtained the vehicle’s registration address, and confirmed it matched the description of the vehicle used in the robbery. The vehicle was registered in Glendale, CA, and the Glendale Police Department was notified immediately. Patrol officers from Glendale PD drove by the address however, the vehicle was not there.
The following morning, Whittier PD detectives, with the assistance of the Glendale PD, located the get away car at the residence. While detectives watched the car, a male subject, later identified as Ara Hovanesyan (pictured below), got into the vehicle and began to drive away. At this point, Glendale patrol officers conducted a traffic stop and detained Hovanesyan.
During interviews conducted by Whittier detectives, Hovanesyan admitted to being involved in the robbery and led detectives to an additional suspect in Los Angeles. The second suspect, John Giampapa (pictured atop), a 21 year-old Whittier resident, was arrested at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
According to detectives, evidence was located at both Hovanesyan’s residence and Giampapa’s hotel room. All of the money from the Citibank robbery was recovered.
Date: February 18, 2009
Contact: Asst. Press Information Officer Mike Dekowski
Subject: Citibank Robbery Suspects In Custody
Whittier, CA – On February 10th at 4:59pm, Whittier PD officers were dispatched to a call of an armed robbery at the Citibank, located at 15401 Whittier Blvd. The suspect entered the bank armed with a knife, and wearing a bandana over his face. He demanded cash from several tellers and fled the bank with and unknown amount of money. As the suspect left the bank, a witness followed him outside and watched him get into a white Lincoln LS and leave the location. The witness obtained the license plate number of the vehicle and later passed the information onto officers.
Utilizing the information provided by the witness, officers obtained the vehicle’s registration address, and confirmed it matched the description of the vehicle used in the robbery. The vehicle was registered in Glendale, CA, and the Glendale Police Department was notified immediately. Patrol officers from Glendale PD drove by the address however, the vehicle was not there.
The following morning, Whittier PD detectives, with the assistance of the Glendale PD, located the get away car at the residence. While detectives watched the car, a male subject, later identified as Ara Hovanesyan (pictured below), got into the vehicle and began to drive away. At this point, Glendale patrol officers conducted a traffic stop and detained Hovanesyan.
During interviews conducted by Whittier detectives, Hovanesyan admitted to being involved in the robbery and led detectives to an additional suspect in Los Angeles. The second suspect, John Giampapa (pictured atop), a 21 year-old Whittier resident, was arrested at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
According to detectives, evidence was located at both Hovanesyan’s residence and Giampapa’s hotel room. All of the money from the Citibank robbery was recovered.
2 comments:
Nice work WPD!
I find it rather interesting that Whittier's bank robbery history began in the 1950's...(I helped research the WPD exhibit at the Whittier Musuem last fall). I guess now we're making up for lost time.
Keep up the good work! May the Lord bless you and keep you safe.
~Stephanie
When I was helping with the research for the WPD exhibit at the Whittier Musuem last fall I found it rather interesting that Whittier's first bank robbery was in the 1950's. I guess now we're making up for lost time...
Great job--Keep up the good work!
May God bless you and keep you all safe.
~Stephanie
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