In a surprising turn of events, a celebrated California chef was taken into custody for allegedly committing three separate bank robbery/” title=”Ondo Court Hands Down Death Sentences to Two Men for Daring Armed …”>robberies within a single day in San Francisco last week.
Valentino Luchin, 62, formerly the executive chef at the popular Italian eatery Rose Pistola in San Francisco, reportedly targeted three banks across the city on September 10. According to the San Francisco Police Department, he handed handwritten notes to bank tellers demanding cash during each incident.
The first robbery occurred around noon near Grant Avenue in Chinatown. Upon arrival, officers were informed by a teller that the suspect had presented a note requesting money, which she complied with out of concern for safety.
After receiving a bag filled with cash, the suspect quickly fled the scene. Authorities have not disclosed the total amount stolen.
Following a swift investigation by the city’s Robbery Unit, Luchin was identified as the prime suspect. Police linked him to two additional bank robberies in the Central District on the same day, noting consistent methods and suspect descriptions.
Contributions from the SFPD’s “ambassadors” program and community tips played a crucial role in pinpointing Luchin as the individual responsible for the crimes.
“Our officers confirmed that the person behind these robberies was Luchin,” the police stated.
Authorities then devised a tactical approach that led to Luchin’s arrest without any further complications.
He was apprehended later that day and booked into San Francisco County Jail, facing charges including two counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery. Luchin remains detained pending formal legal proceedings.
This incident is not Luchin’s first brush with bank robbery allegations. He was previously arrested in 2018 for allegedly robbing a Citibank branch in Orinda, California, where $18,000 was reportedly taken, according to East Bay Times.
Surveillance footage from that event showed a hooded figure wearing dark sunglasses and white gloves, brandishing a BB gun.
In a jail interview following that arrest, Luchin admitted to committing the robbery out of desperation after his restaurant Ottavio in Walnut Creek closed permanently in 2016.
“I thought it was a clever plan, but it clearly wasn’t,” he confessed, emphasizing that he never intended to harm anyone.
“My actions were not violent. The gun was fake-I don’t even know how to operate a real firearm.”
Luchin also mentioned that he had written an apology letter to the teller he allegedly threatened during the robbery.
It remains unclear whether he faced charges related to that earlier incident.
Originally from Italy’s Veneto region, Luchin moved to the United States in 1993 and quickly gained recognition in the culinary scene.
However, after the closure of his Walnut Creek restaurant left him with significant financial difficulties, his life took a downward spiral.
“Everything started to unravel,” Luchin told East Bay Times. “Life became increasingly complicated.”
He added, “Desperation can push you to do things you never imagined you were capable of.”
Bankruptcy documents from 2015, obtained by the publication, revealed that Luchin and his wife had defaulted on their Chapter 13 repayment plan, carrying over $111,000 in debt while possessing only $27,000 in assets.
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