Wig-Wearing Bank Robber Tied to Multiple Peninsula Heists is Arrested: Police

SAN MATEO, CA — A woman who is suspected of robbing a San Mateo bank, along with several other Peninsula establishments, has been arrested at her East Palo Alto home, police say.

In all, police say Mary Alailupe Mapa, 27, is responsible for at least nine bank robberies in six counties within the past two months. Mapa was arrested Thursday at her home, where deputies found clothes used in different robberies, cash from banks, a wig and a handgun, sheriff's Sgt. James Jensen said.

Four of the robberies took place in Santa Clara County at banks in Cupertino, Morgan Hill, Sunnyvale and Palo Alto, Jensen said. Mapa is also a suspect in other robberies in Livermore, Walnut Creek, Napa, San Mateo and Manteca, according to Jensen.

Jensen says that it was at the Sunnyvale robbery on July 28 that Mapa messed up enough to lead authorities to her— apparently leaving a fingerprint on a bank pamphlet during the crime.

The most recent robbery happened just last week, when the woman entered a Palo Alto bank, waited in line with the other customers and handed the teller a note demanding money, police said.

Mapa has been booked into the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas where she's being held in lieu of $1 million bail, according to online jail records.

According to authorities, the images above, courtesy of the Palo Alto Police Department, show the woman as she was dressed in the Palo Alto incident, as well as her jail booking photo.

--

— Bay City News Service contributed to this report.