An arrest has been made in connection with a robbery that occurred at WestAmerica Bank in Rohnert Park on April 2. John Jorgenson, 50, was taken into custody without incident on April 4 on suspicion of robbery and burglary when police located him at Smart Stop Self Storage on Santa Rosa Ave.
According to two press releases put out by Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety Police and Fire Services, Jorgenson entered WestAmerica Bank at approximately 1:08 p.m. on April 2 and passed a note to a teller stating that he was armed and demanded money, although no witnesses reported seeing a weapon. Jorgenson left the bank with approximately $400.
Deputy Chief Aaron Johnson told Patch staff writer Maggie Avants that police recognized Jorgenson in surveillance footage from the bank robbery because they had just contacted him two days prior. During this contact they had taken down vehicle information on his van.
On April 3, detectives located Jorgenson’s van. “Jorgenson had been contacted by officers in Rohnert Park on the night of March 31, loitering near Pep Boys Auto Parts,” the April 2 press release stated. “His vehicle information, a late model VW bus, was also obtained during that contact.”
Detectives continued the search for Jorgenson at a dog park in Rohnert Park on April 4. “Detectives received information that Jorgenson was in the area of the dog park located at the north end of Robert’s Lake Road in Rohnert Park,” stated the press release. “Units were dispatched to that area and were unable to locate Jorgenson. The surrounding areas were checked by both marked and undercover units with assistance provided by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office helicopter unit, Henry 1.”
Later in the day, detectives learned that Jorgensen frequents Smart Stop Self Storage, which is where he was eventually located and taken into custody. “Detectives were able to locate Jorgenson’s vehicle in Santa Rosa on April 3. The van was recovered and evidence connecting Jorgenson to the bank robbery was located inside the van,” read the press release.
