Man accused of Corona attempted bank robbery tracked down and arrested in Lake Elsinore

CORONA — A Lake Elsinore resident was arrested earlier this week, accused of an attempted bank robbery that happened at Wells Fargo Bank in the 11000 block of De Palma Road in Corona, Friday, Aug. 18.

Using evidence collected by sheriff’s officials after the attempted robbery, investigators located and arrested 40-year-old, Jerrad R.D. Schmittle, after serving a search warrant at the alleged suspect’s Lake Elsinore residence on Malaga Road, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Brett Seckinger explained in a Nov. 9 press release.

After his arrest, Schmittle was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of attempted bank robbery.

The investigation into the August robbery attempt began about 1:30 p.m., when deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Lake Elsinore Station responded to a silent alarm at the bank.

When deputies arrived on scene they learned an attempt to rob the bank had just occurred at the bank.

Deputies interviewed bank employees and determined “a white male adult, with obvious dark make up to disguise his appearance, handed a note to a teller demanding money,” said Seckinger, who explained the man told the teller he was armed with a handgun.

After waiting several seconds the suspect, later identified as Schmittle, fled the bank on foot without obtaining any money.

Investigators from the Lake Elsinore station and members from the Riverside Sheriff’s Forensics Unit processed the scene and collected evidence, which later proved instrumental in identifying Schmittle.

Leads developed from the physical evidence collected from the scene eventually revealed Schmittle was possibly the suspect from the August attempted robbery.

On Nov. 8, sheriff’s officials served a search warrant at Schmittle’s residence, “where he was detained for questioning and later arrested,” Seckinger explained.

An online jail records search revealed Schmittle was released the day after his arrest after posting $35,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned at Riverside Hall Of Justice, Feb. 8.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Investigator Posson of the Lake Elsinore Police Department at (951) 245-3300. Callers can refer to incident file number F172300040 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.