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He was the final man standing from a prolific financial institution heist crew that prosecutors say made off with tens of millions throughout a string of robberies up and down the West Coast.
Then he allegedly bombed an ATM in Contra Costa County.
The person, recognized as Diego Ananias Arellano Diaz, was arrested and charged with financial institution theft and conspiracy to commit financial institution theft, federal prosecutors introduced Thursday.
For a number of months, he was listed in court docket information solely as “John Doe 2,” an alleged member of a South American theft group that authorities say carried out robberies in California, Oregon and Washington.
The crew focused ATMs and banks. They stayed in Airbnb leases close to their targets and have been armed with development vests, sledgehammers, blowtorches and surgical masks, in accordance with court docket paperwork.
The crew wielded sign jammers to intervene with Wi-Fi-enabled safety techniques, spray painted over safety digital camera lenses and used rental vehicles secured on the black market. They carried out their heists between Could and October 2024, in accordance with federal prosecutors within the U.S. legal professional’s workplace for the Japanese District of California.
The crew stole greater than $4 million in money, prosecutors say.
A federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants on prices of financial institution theft and conspiracy to commit financial institution theft on Oct. 31. All of the defendants have been named, aside from Arellano Diaz. He was listed as “John Doe 2” in a separate grievance.
Most of the named defendants have been arrested in California, Florida and Chile, and their gear was seized at an Airbnb in Welches, Ore., that the FBI mentioned was getting used because the crew’s base of operations.
Brokers recovered toolboxes and different gear from the rental unit, authorities mentioned.
Throughout a assessment of the objects on April 29, FBI brokers pulled clothes that may very well be examined for DNA. Brokers additionally discovered a GoPro video digital camera with a reminiscence card inside.
After securing a warrant to go looking the digital camera’s reminiscence card in early Could, FBI brokers found a number of video recordsdata that included one of many named defendants within the case, Camilo Guzman Sepulveda. Brokers additionally discovered a picture of Arellano Diaz, who at that time was nonetheless unidentified.
That picture underwent facial recognition evaluation, and the next day a match was made to Arellano Diaz, in accordance with court docket paperwork.
His identify was added to an arrest warrant, however that remained beneath seal whereas he was nonetheless at giant.
In response to prosecutors, Arellano Diaz — who was utilizing the identify Fabio Hernandez — was initially arrested in Los Angeles County in February and charged with assault with a lethal weapon on a firefighter or police officer. He was launched on a $75,000 surety bond, after which he vanished.
On July 20, police within the Bay Space metropolis of San Ramon recognized Arellano Diaz as the person they suspected of blowing up an ATM at a neighborhood Goal retailer.
He was arrested Tuesday in Newport Seashore, authorities mentioned.
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