Man Held in Pasadena Bank Robbery

Police cordoned off several blocks of a busy Pasadena shopping district for nearly five hours Saturday after arresting an alleged bank robber who claimed to have a bomb in his briefcase.

The man, disguised in women’s clothing, walked into Wells Fargo Bank at Green Street and Lake Avenue about 9:15 a.m., according to Pasadena Police Lt. Chris Vicino. He demanded money after he told the teller he had a bomb.

The suspect, identified as Petrus Henry Schamrel, 33, threatened to detonate the bomb if anyone followed him out of the bank, according to Vicino.

“While he was in the bank, we were getting information from inside the bank,” said Vicino. “We were close and we set up a large perimeter.”

Schamrel was arrested a short distance from the bank. “He was in custody about five minutes after the robbery occurred,” Vicino said.

The Sheriff’s Department bomb squad safely detonated a briefcase that the suspect dropped outside the bank. No bomb was found inside.

A second briefcase, found behind the bank, was safely opened and found to contain all the money the suspect had been given--more than $200,000.

“They X-rayed it,” Vicino said. “When they found out the amount of money in it, they decided not to ruin the briefcase.”