Man Gets 8 Years In Prison After East Bay Bank Robberies

EAST BAY, CA — An Oakland man will go to prison for eight years after committing armed bank robberies throughout the Bay Area, including nine in the East Bay, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Duane Kurt Makela, 50, admitted to receiving $69,000 from 19 robberies or attempted robberies.

The East Bay robberies included:

• Pleasant Hill, March 21, 2018, Pacific Service Credit Union
• Oakland, March 30, 2018, U.S. Bank
• San Ramon, April 11, 2018, Pacific Service Credit Union
• Orinda, April 17, 2018, Bank of the West
• San Ramon, May 11, 2018, U.S Bank
• Oakland, May 12, 2018, Chase Bank
• Orinda, November 3, 2018, Wells Fargo Bank
• Alameda, November 5, 2018, U.S. Bank
• Castro Valley, December 23, 2018, U.S. Bank

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.

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