In December 2020, there were three bank robberies in Santa Rosa. Each of the robberies occurred at a different location. With the assistance of our community and partner law enforcement agencies, we were able to solve all three cases.
On December 30, 2020, Steven Sergio Gonzales, a 38-year-old male from Santa Rosa & Sacramento, was arrested by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office for robberies associated with their jurisdiction. Based on the investigation conducted by the Santa Rosa Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit, we believe Gonzales was the suspect in two local bank robberies:
- Exchange Bank – Stony Point Rd, on 12/4/2020 (case #20-13761)
- Chase Bank – Sonoma Av, on 12/21/2020 (case #20-14403)
Gonzales is currently in custody at the Sacramento County Jail for numerous charges and a $3,000,000 bail.
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On February 7, 2021, officers from Berkeley PD contacted a suspicious vehicle and Aklilu Asefaha, a 44-year-old male & Berkeley resident, was inside the vehicle. Asefaha had an outstanding arrest warrant associated with a bank robbery in Novato, California. Based on the investigation conducted by the Santa Rosa Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit, we believe Asefaha was the suspect in local bank robbery:
- Bank of America – Sonoma Avenue, on 12/28/2020 (case #20-14601)
Asefaha was arrested for the warrant and booked into the Alameda County with a $50,000 bail.
These investigations are still on-going, and detectives are seeking anyone who may have information related to these bank robberies. Anyone who witnessed the robberies or has information about them, is encouraged to contact the Santa Rosa Police through our online tip line:
www.srcity.org/CrimeTips
Media inquiries may be directed to Sergeant Christopher Mahurin at (707) 975-0129 or
cmahurin@srcity.org.
