Ripon man suspected in 6 robberies caught after chase, car crash
By EVE HIGHTOWERand ROSALIO AHUMADA BEE STAFF WRITERS Last Updated: November 10, 2006, 05:24:39 AM PST Source: Modesto Bee
Federal agents on Thursday arrested a former San Joaquin County sheriff's deputy who is suspected of robbing an Elk Grove bank Oct. 13.
Timothy James Kelly, 45, of Ripon also is a suspect in five other bank heists, authorities said.
When FBI agents tried to stop Kelly's vehicle about 7:15 a.m. in Ripon, he fled. The agents and Ripon police gave chase and apprehended Kelly shortly after he crashed his vehicle at Highway 120 and Murphy Road, north of Ripon.
No one was injured in the chase, said Agent Karen Ernst, an FBI spokeswoman.
Kelly is suspected in five more bank robberies in the Northern San Joaquin Valley and the South Bay this year, she said.
Kelly was booked at Sacramento County jail and was being held Thursday night without bail.
Investigators believe he steered clear of his hometown, hitting banks on the coast and other valley towns.
He is suspected of robbing: Citibank on M Street in Merced on May 17, Citibank on West Shaw Avenue in Fresno on June 9, Citibank on North First Avenue in Fresno on June 28, Citibank on Stevens Creek Boulevard in San Jose on Aug. 9, and Wells Fargo Bank on North Winchester Boulevard in Santa Clara on Sept. 1.
Kelly was charged on Thursday only with the Oct. 13 Elk Grove bank robbery, which occurred about 2:40 p.m. at the Bank of America at 5001 Laguna Blvd., Elk Grove police said.
The robber gave the teller a note demanding money and walked out of the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.
Witnesses told police the robber was a white man, about 40years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed about 250 pounds, with brown hair and a brown mustache.
The robber was wearing a blue Corona beer baseball cap, a dark-colored jacket, a light blue shirt over a white crew-neck T-shirt, blue jeans and sunglasses.
Elk Grove police circulated fliers to the public with information and two photos of the robber inside the bank.
According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Monday, two San Joaquin County sheriff's deputies recognized Kelly in the bank photos and contacted police.
Agents from five FBI offices from San Francisco to Fresno had been investigating Kelly before Thursday's arrest.
According to the court document, a witness positively identified Kelly as the bank robber in a photographic lineup.
Kelly resigned from the Sheriff's Department in 1994 after 10 years of service.
According to the criminal complaint, Kelly was arrested in October 1994 on charges of property embezzlement and filing a false report as a peace officer.
A month later, Kelly pleaded guilty to filing a false report and was sentenced to one year in jail and five years of probation, according to the court documents.
In a separate case in January 1997, Kelly pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery and was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, according to the court document.
Bee librarian Karen Aiello contributed to this report.
Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada can be reached at 578-2394 or
Bee staff writer Eve Hightower can be reached at 578-2382 or
Latest Product
Anti-HR 4437 Movement in Modesto DVD
$4.99 Add to Cart
Mambo is Free Software released under the GNU/GPL License.
Getting Started 
