Female serial bank robbery suspect nabbed

A 27-year-old woman suspected of robbing nearly 10 banks in six counties within at least the past two months was arrested last week in East Palo Alto, according to police and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.

50 was arrested Wednesday at her East Palo Alto home, where deputies found clothes used in different robberies, cash from banks, a wig and a handgun, sheriff’s Sgt. James Jensen said.

Four of the robberies took place in Santa Clara County at banks in Cupertino, Morgan Hill, Sunnyvale and Palo Alto, Jensen said.

Mapa is also a suspect in other robberies in Livermore, Walnut Creek, Napa, San Mateo and Manteca, according to Jensen.

The Cupertino robbery happened June 3 at HSBC Bank in the 10700 block of South De Anza Boulevard, where Mapa allegedly took out a firearm and demanded money from a bank teller, Jensen said.

The suspect fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash, he said.

Investigators were able to identify Mapa as a suspect through her fingerprint left on a bank pamphlet during the Sunnyvale robbery, according to Jensen.

The Sunnyvale robbery happened July 28 at a Premier One Credit Union in the 1100 block of East Arques Avenue, according to the city’s Department of Public Safety.

The Palo Alto incident happened at a Star One Credit Union on Tuesday but detectives don’t suspect she’s connected with other robberies in the city, police said.

Investigators secured a warrant for Mapa and arrested her in East Palo Alto on Wednesday, Jensen said.

Mapa has been booked into the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas where she’s being held in lieu of $1 million bail, according to online jail records.

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