Mrs. Doubtfire, Is That You? Santa Cruz Police Say Bank Robber Suspect Is In Custody

A vehicle burglary suspect was connected to the “Mrs. Doubtfire” robbery of a Santa Cruz bank earlier this month when Carmel police officers found a purse and a locket in his car, Santa Cruz police said today.

Brandon Calantoc, 31, of Sand City, was pulled over by Carmel police at about 1:25 p.m. Monday, according to Santa Cruz police. Calantoc was pulled over as a suspect in a series of vehicle burglaries in Carmel. While searching his car, the officers allegedly found drugs as well as stolen mail, credit cards and identification.

They also found a purse and a locket that resembled those worn by a man dressed as a woman who robbed a U.S. Bank in Santa Cruz on April 3, Santa Cruz police said.

• Previous: Cops Hunting ‘Mrs. Doubtfire Bank Robber’ In Santa Cruz

The suspect in that case walked into the bank at 110 Morrissey Blvd. at about 3 p.m. wearing a wavy blond wig, prescription glasses, navy blue scrubs and a light purple long-sleeved undershirt. He handed a teller a note demanding money.

By the time police arrived, he had already fled. Officers realized that he had also been to a Rabobank at 3110 Mission Drive in the Live Oak area about an hour earlier acting suspiciously. He did not try to rob the bank but appeared to be casing it, according to police.

The unusual disguise led Santa Cruz investigators to dub the incident the “Mrs. Doubtfire” bank robbery. After receiving news of the recovered evidence, Santa Cruz police detectives headed to Monterey County. Calantoc, booked by Carmel police after the vehicle stop, was about to be released from custody but the Santa Cruz investigators arrested him on suspicion of bank robbery and attempted bank robbery.

At the time of the robbery, Calantoc had been out on bail in Monterey County on burglary, possession of stolen property, theft of access card data, possession of burglary tools and conspiracy charges, Santa Cruz police said.

He was also booked on suspicion of committing a felony while out on bail. His bail on the new allegations in Santa Cruz was set at $600,000.

--Bay City News