Crime & Safety

Seal Beach Bank Robber Headed to Court

One one three men believed to be part of the market duo that ended a sting of of Orange County grocery store bank robberies with a high speed chase and shooting will face charges today.

A Whittier man suspected of being one of the ``Market Duo Bandits'' involved in a string of bank holdups including one in Seal Beach is scheduled to be arraigned today.  

Andres Soto, 50, faces six felony counts of second-degree robbery, according to court records. He was arrested Wednesday in La Mirada, according to La Habra police. Co-defendant Paul Acosta, 27, of Los Angeles is charged with 11 felony counts of second-degree robbery, according to court records. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday and is scheduled to return to court Friday.

Another co-defendant -- Richard Valdez -- pleaded not guilty Wednesday to three felony charges of second-degree robbery. He is accused of participating, along with Acosta, in the Jan. 5 holdup inside a Wells Fargo branch in a Stater Bros. grocery store at 1111 Imperial Highway in Placentia. Soto faces charges connected to bank robberies Oct. 25, Nov. 3, Nov. 21, and Dec. 10.

Find out what's happening in Los Alamitos-Seal Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Market Duo bandits were suspected of robbing a U.S. Bank branch at 2101 W. Imperial Highway in La Habra on Oct. 25 and another U.S. Bank branch at 1101 Pacific Coast Highway in Seal Beach on Nov. 3, according to the FBI. The Wells Fargo branch in the Stater Bros. was held up on Nov. 21 and Jan. 5.The ``Market Duo'' bandits earned the nickname because they targeted bank branches in grocery stores.

After the Jan. 5 stickup, a wild police chase ensued from Placentia, ending in Paramount with  Acosta being shot by a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, according to Placentia police Detective Corinne Loomis.

Find out what's happening in Los Alamitos-Seal Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

-City News Service


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