POWAY, Calif. -
The San Diego Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into whether a mother of five jailed in an adjacent county could be responsible for two bank robberies in Poway.
"We're going to look at the robberies up in Riverside County and our robberies here," said FBI Special Agent Darrell Foxworth. "And see if there is any possibility that she is responsible for that."
Agent Foxworth said his agency is working closely with the Temecula Police Department and the Riverside County Sheriffs Department. They're checking to see if 37-year-old Roxanne Renee Pennock, who was arrested on interstate 15 near Temecula last Friday afternoon, is the same woman seen in surveillance video robbing two banks in Poway. On Friday, Pennock was stopped and arrested by police on Interstate 15 just south of Highway 76, shortly after a Chase Bank in Temecula was robbed. According to a press release issued by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, officers recovered evidence at the scene that implicated the driver of the red minivan seen leaving the bank parking lot, as the suspect in the Temecula bank robbery. Investigators believe Pennock is also responsible for the robbery at a Bank of America in Temecula on October 22nd.
"Based on the description, the method of operation, using the demand note and other factors it is just logical for us to follow up on those leads," said Foxworth.
Pennock, who was arraigned Tuesday in Riverside Superior Court, pleaded not guilty to two counts of robbery and two counts of burglary. She remains behind bars. Foxworth said they are investigating whether she may have been the woman who held up a San Diego National Bank on Scripps Poway Parkway and Pomerado Road on September 29th, and the one responsible for robbing a US Bank on Poway Road on October 13. Both banks are near Pennock's home in Poway.
"In one of the robberies, a female went into the bank dressed in a blue sweatshirt with a hood and was wearing what was described as some type of clown mask. She was also carrying what we believe to be a weapon." Foxworth said. "In another robbery she was not dressed in a clown mask, she just wore sunglasses, entered the bank and used a demand note to conduct a robbery."
Pennock's neighbors were shocked by the arrest. Next door neighbor Kevin Patterson said he never saw it coming.
"We spent, my kids spent some time at their house and their children spent some time at our house," Patterson said.
He's heard rumors the family may have been having financial difficulties, but isn't sure. Though he lost his job a while back, he can't imagine resorting to robbery.
"I can't," he said. "I would really like to think that self improvement and doing better things with my life would be the avenue I would take."
While Pennock is facing charges in Riverside County, Foxworth added that she is not currently facing any here.
"We don't have any charges pending in San Diego County, and like I said, that is because our investigation is ongoing," he said. "We still have a lot of work here to do and we're asking the public that if they have any information concerning the robberies to please contact us."
"We're going to look at the robberies up in Riverside County and our robberies here," said FBI Special Agent Darrell Foxworth. "And see if there is any possibility that she is responsible for that."
Agent Foxworth said his agency is working closely with the Temecula Police Department and the Riverside County Sheriffs Department. They're checking to see if 37-year-old Roxanne Renee Pennock, who was arrested on interstate 15 near Temecula last Friday afternoon, is the same woman seen in surveillance video robbing two banks in Poway. On Friday, Pennock was stopped and arrested by police on Interstate 15 just south of Highway 76, shortly after a Chase Bank in Temecula was robbed. According to a press release issued by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, officers recovered evidence at the scene that implicated the driver of the red minivan seen leaving the bank parking lot, as the suspect in the Temecula bank robbery. Investigators believe Pennock is also responsible for the robbery at a Bank of America in Temecula on October 22nd.
"Based on the description, the method of operation, using the demand note and other factors it is just logical for us to follow up on those leads," said Foxworth.
Pennock, who was arraigned Tuesday in Riverside Superior Court, pleaded not guilty to two counts of robbery and two counts of burglary. She remains behind bars. Foxworth said they are investigating whether she may have been the woman who held up a San Diego National Bank on Scripps Poway Parkway and Pomerado Road on September 29th, and the one responsible for robbing a US Bank on Poway Road on October 13. Both banks are near Pennock's home in Poway.
"In one of the robberies, a female went into the bank dressed in a blue sweatshirt with a hood and was wearing what was described as some type of clown mask. She was also carrying what we believe to be a weapon." Foxworth said. "In another robbery she was not dressed in a clown mask, she just wore sunglasses, entered the bank and used a demand note to conduct a robbery."
Pennock's neighbors were shocked by the arrest. Next door neighbor Kevin Patterson said he never saw it coming.
"We spent, my kids spent some time at their house and their children spent some time at our house," Patterson said.
He's heard rumors the family may have been having financial difficulties, but isn't sure. Though he lost his job a while back, he can't imagine resorting to robbery.
"I can't," he said. "I would really like to think that self improvement and doing better things with my life would be the avenue I would take."
While Pennock is facing charges in Riverside County, Foxworth added that she is not currently facing any here.
"We don't have any charges pending in San Diego County, and like I said, that is because our investigation is ongoing," he said. "We still have a lot of work here to do and we're asking the public that if they have any information concerning the robberies to please contact us."
