Prolific bank robbery suspect jailed

An Oakland man and convicted felon who is suspected of disguising himself as an elderly white man in a string of Bay Area bank robberies is in jail, according to police.

Duron Williams, 35, was arrested by police May 29 in Oakland, according to police.

He is suspected of committing 10 bank robberies and one attempted bank robbery in 11 cities, including a robbery in January at the First National Bank in Millbrae and another in at a Citibank in Belmont in March, according to the Belmont Police Department.

Police believe Williams was armed with a firearm during the robberies and that he wore a sophisticated full-face mask giving him the appearance of an elderly white man.

Search warrants were executed at homes in Oakland and Hayward where Williams resided and detectives allegedly discovered further evidence implicating him in multiple bank robberies. Detectives also discovered a stolen van used in the robberies, according to police.

On March 22, Belmont police responded to the Citibank on Ralston Avenue on the report of a robbery and employees described the suspect as wearing a flesh-colored mask to conceal his identity. Williams allegedly entered the bank alone armed with a handgun and passed a note to a teller demanding money, according to police.

After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, Williams was seen fleeing the area on foot, according to police.

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office charged Williams with several counts of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, being armed with a firearm during the commission of a felony, convicted felon in possession of a firearm and vehicle theft.

Bill Silverfarb can be reached by email: silverfarb@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106.