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Employee Kidnapped in Bank Robbery May Be Girlfriend of Suspect
The scene of the robbery (Photo courtesy Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department)
Police in Huntington Park and the FBI are not discussing many details about the arrest made in what's being calleda "Hollywood-style" bank heist on September 5, including the possibility the suspect is the boyfriend of the bank manager who was abducted and sent into the bank with a bomb strapped to her body.
33-year-old Ray Vega from Bell was arrested the evening after the dramatic heist, and was charged with conspiracy and robbery, according to the FBI. He posted bail and was later released.
According to authorities, the employee said two masked men abducted her, strapped what they said was a bomb to her body and then sent her into the bank with instructions to toss cash through a back door, reports City News Service.
But is Vega the branch manager's boyfriend?
Anonymous sources told the L.A. Times that the employee is an "acquaintance" of Vega's. However, CBS2 is reporting Vega is the woman's boyfriend.
The woman was unharmed in the ordeal, and the device strapped to her body was determined to not contain explosives. The robbers got away with what authorities will only say was "a decent amount of money."
The FBI are opting to not reveal additional information about Vega or his possible connection to the bank. "This investigation remains very fluid, active and is ongoing. Investigators have been working around the clock," says the FBI in a release, adding: "We will not be discussing any specific details regarding this investigation."
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