San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies, working with the FBI,
arrested alleged bank robber Michael Yost in San Juan Bautista on
Monday.
Yost, 33, who was wanted in connection with six bank robberies
in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties during the past 10 days, was
arrested at approximately 9:30 a.m. by a team of local deputies,
Salinas Police, Monterey County deputies and FBI agents.
San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies, working with the FBI, arrested alleged bank robber Michael Yost in San Juan Bautista on Monday.
Yost, 33, who was wanted in connection with six bank robberies in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties during the past 10 days, was arrested at approximately 9:30 a.m. by a team of local deputies, Salinas Police, Monterey County deputies and FBI agents.
Yost, who is suspected of robbing banks in Salinas, Marina and Watsonville, was reportedly spotted at an apartment complex in San Juan Bautista.
“It was one of several residences that we had under surveillance,” FBI Special Agent Rick Lack said.
He said because Yost was a transient with no permanent address, agents and deputies watched several locations where they thought the wanted felon might be staying.
“It was a real good job by the San Benito County deputies,” Lack said.
Police and the FBI refused to reveal the address where Yost was arrested.
“We were covering several of these potential addresses where we felt we might run across Mr. Yost,” Lack said. “It came to fruition this morning when, sure enough, he showed up at the same place we were, which is what we’re always trying to do.”
Yost, who allegedly masterminded the robbery of four banks in Salinas, one in Marina and one in Watsonville, has a history of bank robbery, Salinas Police Lt. Dan Perez said.
San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill applauded the cooperation and teamwork displayed by all agencies involved.
“We’re very lucky to have good FBI agents in our area,” Hill said. “My hat’s off to the FBI and for having the confidence in us to work with my guys.”
Hill said the FBI developed information that Yost was probably hiding somewhere in the county.
“This morning, I got a call from my high-risk team that they had a line on this guy and it wasn’t even an hour later when they called me and said they had him in custody,” Hill said.
Investigators said Yost has a criminal history.
“He was arrested in 2002 for robbing a Wells Fargo bank,” Perez said.
Yost was released from prison in July, just 10 months after robbing the bank.
Perez said the raid on Yost’s hiding place was accomplished with no injuries.
“He surrendered to authorities without incident,” Perez said.
Investigators believe Yost is responsible for a series of brazen daylight bank robberies starting on Sept. 9 when he allegedly walked into the Community Bank on North Main Street in Salinas and robbed it.
Yost is accused of following that up with a robbery Sept. 11 by walking into the Bank of America at 405 Main St. in Salinas at approximately 9:30 a.m. and reportedly demanded cash. He made off with an undisclosed amount of money and fled the scene on foot.
On Sept. 13, Yost allegedly entered the Union Bank on South Main Street in Salinas just after 10 a.m. and handed the teller a note that indicated he was armed and demanded money. The teller complied and the suspect fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Yost is currently being held without bail in the Monterey County jail on bank robbery charges.
