CARLSBAD — A 33-year-old man was arrested after robbing a bank here Monday morning, according to the Carlsbad Police Department.
At about 11:10 a.m., police responded to the robbery at U.S. Bank on the 7700 block of El Camino Real.
The victim reported Timothy Allen Bliss had presented a note demanding money. The suspect, described as having a distinctive tattoo on his neck and wearing a gray hoodie, was seen fleeing in a white Ford Explorer.
At 3:08 p.m., the California Highway Patrol became involved in the pursuit of Bliss’ Ford Explorer in the area of Highway 76 and Highway 395. The pursuit ended when the Bliss crashed and was taken into custody.
An alert resident who witnessed the vehicle flee the scene also saw news coverage of the CHP pursuit. The resident called Carlsbad police and stated he believed the Explorer was the same one he had seen flee the robbery.
Investigators conducted a records check of the registered owner and saw the owner had a distinctive tattoo on his neck as described by the bank teller. A search of the suspect’s Explorer resulted in the seizure of evidence related to the robbery.
Bliss was booked into the Vista jail on one count of robbery and commercial burglary, along with additional charges related to the pursuit. Bliss claimed to be transient.
The Carlsbad Police Department thanked members of the community for their assistance in solving this case.
“Alert citizens who report their observations to law enforcement help us to make our community safer,” said Crimes of Violence Detective Sergeant Darbie Ernst, whose investigators worked on this case. “The Carlsbad Police Department would also like to thank the California Highway Patrol for their assistance and professionalism.”
