Bank Robbery Leads To Arrests, Bronze Star For Pleasanton Cop

PLEASANTON, CA — A Pleasanton police officer has been honored with a Bronze Star for heroism for his actions that led to the eventual capture of bank robbers.

Officer Brad Middleton "demonstrated protection of citizens and fellow officers while braving the risk of death and serious injury, and putting the safety of others over his own personal safety," the Pleasanton Police Department said.

The honor announced Thursday stems from a Feb. 8 incident, when four masked and heavily armed suspects entered Wells Fargo Bank on Hopyard Road around 10:40 a.m. and began yelling at customers and employees to “get down!” The suspects threatened people with both handguns and rifles, and demanded money from the bank tellers and the vault, according to Pleasanton police.

The robbers were inside the bank for less than three minutes, but it was enough time for several bank employees to press emergency alarm buttons. Pleasanton police were notified and officers were quickly dispatched to the scene.

Middleton arrived within minutes. He noticed a white Chevrolet Suburban backed into a parking stall toward the front of the bank, and a person in all black clothing moving toward the vehicle. It seemed suspicious, but Middleton didn't yet know that an actual robbery had occurred, so he drove behind the Suburban as it exited the bank parking lot.

Middleton tailed the Suburban at the intersection of Inglewood Drive and Hopyard Road, but he couldn't see inside the vehicle's tinted rear windows. Suddenly the suspects opened fire on the officer. He ducked but felt something strike his face — he thought he'd been hit by a bullet.

Middleton heard the suspects speed off through the intersection and they stopped firing at him, so he sat up and began a pursuit. On Inglewood Drive, the suspects started firing again. The officer ducked, the gunfire subsided, so he resumed the chase. But a bullet had hit the radiator of his patrol vehicle, which ended Middleton's pursuit.

The Pleasanton Police Department said that although his patrol vehicle broke down, Middleton’s resilient chase forced the suspects to make several mistakes that led to their identification and ultimate arrests.