Bank Robber Turns Himself In

An 18-year-old Mesa area resident, Holden Weddington, turned himself in to Santa Barbara County Jail on Tuesday, one night after he allegedly robbed the Cliff Drive Union Bank.

Around noon on Monday, Weddington reportedly served a demand note, indicating he had a weapon, to a bank teller. No weapon was seen, said city police spokesperson Sgt. Riley Harwood. “The suspect stole less than $1,000 in cash and fled the scene on foot.”

However, Crimes Against Persons detectives discovered an employee at the 1960 Cliff Drive Union Bank recognized Weddington as a previous bank customer with the uncommon name of Holden. Detectives matched Weddington’s DMV picture with surveillance photographs from the bank robbery and obtained a $50,000 warrant for his arrest.

Around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, authorities served a search warrant at Weddington’s home — where he was nowhere to be found — and got in touch with his family. On Wednesday night, Weddington showed up a relative’s home and was taken by a family member to County Jail, where he surrendered himself around 11:40 p.m., said Harwood.