Authorities arrest 30-year-old Escondido man in connection with robbery of Chase bank in Fallbrook

Sheriff's deputies and U.S. Marshals assigned to the San Diego Fugitive Task Force arrested the man they say is responsible for robbing the Chase bank in Fallbrook on December 9.

John Charles O'Donnell, 30, of Escondido was arrested at the Best Value Inn located near State Route 78 and Mar Vista Drive in Vista this morning at approximately 10 a.m.

"He was arrested without incident and booked into the Vista Detention Facility on probable cause for robbery," said Lt. Mike Barnett, commander of the Fallbrook Sheriff's substation.

Barnett said it was a tip from the public that led to O'Donnell's arrest, since a photograph taken by the bank's surveillance cameras was distributed to local media outlets.

"He was identified within a couple of days after the robbery," said Barnett. "Once the warrant [for his arrest] was issued, the fugitive task force tracked him down."

Barnett said O'Donnell robbed the bank by presenting a demand note to a teller.

Barnett said O'Donnell has been charged with one count of robbery, but it will likely be enough to put him behind bars for quite some time.

"[O'Donnell] will spend a long time in prison for this because it's a violent crime and will count as a strike," explained Barnett. "To rob a bank and get enough money to live on for a few days isn't really worth it."

Barnett said authorities have experienced a much higher success rate of apprehending bank robbers since surveillance equipment has become even more sophisticated.

"With the technology that banks have nowadays and the resources law enforcement has to track these crimes today, 'robbers' are finding out [getting away with the crime] is not as successful as it used to be. Today's high-tech [surveillance] equipment provides good quality photos and sound, so we can not only get a good look at them, we have voice identification as well."