201912.24
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Suspect in Newport Beach bank robbery arrested in La Quinta after more attempted heists

by in News

A suspect in a Newport Beach bank robbery managed to evade arrest after his vehicle was spotted by local police Monday, Dec. 23, but was taken into custody the following day in Riverside County.

Newport Beach Police Detectives arrested Barry Allan Buydens, 56, in his city of residence, La Quinta, at about 8:25 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24, NBPD officials said in a news release. He was booked on suspicion of evading arrest, robbery and two counts of attempted robbery.

Newport Beach Police Detectives arrested Barry Buydens, 56, of La Quinta, Tuesday, Dec. 24, on suspicion of evading arrest, robbery and two counts of attempted robbery related to a series of heists and attempted heists at banks in Newport Beach between Saturday, Dec. 21 and Monday, Dec. 23 (Photo courtesy of the Newport Beach Police Department).

Investigators believe he is the suspect captured in surveillance footage recorded Saturday, Dec. 21, during a robbery at the U.S. Bank branch in the Pavilions Store at 2118 Newport Coast Dr., police said. He allegedly said he had a gun and demanded money in a note handed to a teller, then left the area with an unspecified amount of cash in a black Mercedes-Benz SLK.

A man matching that suspect’s description was seen at 12:45 p.m. Monday inside the Bank of America branch at 500 Newport Center Dr., police said. He nervously gave a bank employee a note similar to the one used in the earlier robbery, and fled the building empty-handed.

  • A suspect identified by Newport Beach Police as Barry Buydens, 56, of La Quinta, is allegedly seen in surveillance footage recorded Saturday, Dec. 21, during a robbery at the U.S, Bank branch inside the Pavilions Store at 2118 Newport Coast Dr (Photo courtesy of the Newport Beach Police Department).

  • A suspect identified by Newport Beach Police as Barry Buydens, 56, of La Quinta, is allegedly seen in surveillance footage recorded during a robbery Monday, Dec. 23, inside the Bank of America branch at 500 Newport Center Dr. (Photo courtesy of the Newport Beach Police Department).

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At about 4:44 p.m. that same day, the suspect entered the Citibank branch at 1100 Newport Center Dr. and was recognized by employees who had been notified of the robbery attempt at Bank of America, police said. He left after an alarm was activated, but his vehicle was seen a short time later along Newport Center Drive.

The suspected robber failed to stop and was pursued by police. The chase traveled north along the 73 Freeway before authorities lost sight of his vehicle near the Bear Street exit in Costa Mesa.

Investigators worked overnight and identified Buydens as a suspect. Newport Beach Police detectives acquired a warrant and conducted a search in La Quinta, which resulted in his arrest. He has since been named as a suspect in another Newport Beach robbery that happened May 24, 2018, in the Bank of America branch at 21171 Newport Coast Rd.

Authorities have asked  anyone with information possibly related to these incidents to contact NBPD Detective Michael Fletcher at 949-644-3779, or mfletcher@nbpd.org.