Man Gets 8 Years In Prison After Robberies In San Ramon, Bay Area

SAN RAMON, CA — An Oakland man will go to prison for eight years after committing armed bank robberies throughout the Bay Area, including an armed bank robbery at the Pacific Service Credit Union in San Ramon on April 11, according to the East Bay Times and U.S. Department of Justice. Duane Kurt Makela, 50, also admitted to an attempted bank robbery at U.S. Bank in San Ramon on May 11.

He admitted to receiving $69,000 from 19 robberies or attempted robberies throughout the Bay Area, in places such as Palo Alto, Castro Valley, Alameda, Ordina, South San Francisco, Oakland and more, according to the Department of Justice. Makela admitted as part of his plea that in each case, he brandished what looked like a handgun and demanded money.

U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Breyer ordered Makela to pay full restitution and serve three years of supervised release, the Times reported.

Sixteen police departments and sheriff's offices throughout the Bay Area assisted the Federal Bureau of Investigations with the case.

Makela was arrested April 30, jail records show. Makela is in custody at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

Read more at the East Bay Times.