Tag: Bank Robberies

A well-known San Francisco chef is back in jail after police said he pulled off three bank robberies in just one day.

According to a press release from the San Francisco Police Department, 62-year-old Valentino Luchin allegedly walked into three separate banks on Wednesday, passing notes demanding cash. In at least one case, police said, a teller handed over a bag of money “fearing for their safety.”

Authorities said the suspect descriptions and methods matched across all three incidents. With the help of community tips, investigators identified Luchin as the suspect and later arrested him at his Central District home without incident. He was booked into county jail on two robbery charges and one attempted robbery charge.

This isn’t Luchin’s first brush with the law. KTLA reported that back in 2018 he was arrested for allegedly robbing a Citibank with a fake gun, escaping with $18,000 before being caught hours later at a health club.

Luchin, who once worked at and owned popular Bay Area restaurants, is now facing serious prison time if convicted. Police have not said how much money was stolen in the latest string of robberies.