Man Allegedly Connected to 2 Cupertino Bank Robberies Arrested

A man who police believe is responsible for a string of five bank robberies in the South Bay has been arrested, a San Jose police officer said.

Thomas Rhodes, 45, was wanted for his involvement in five bank robberies that occurred throughout Santa Clara County from Jan. 18 to Feb. 22, Officer Albert Morales said.

The five robberies include two Cupertino banks:

• Jan. 18, 5:03 p.m., US Bank, 10381 South De Anza Blvd., Cupertino
• Jan. 24, 2:20 p.m., Wells Fargo Bank, 6465 Almaden Expressway, San Jose
• Feb. 1, 2:30 p.m., Bank of the West, 18860 Cox Ave., Saratoga
• Feb. 6, 2:19 p.m., Wells Fargo Bank, 23000 Homestead Rd., Cupertino
• Feb. 19, 2:53 p.m., Wells Fargo Bank, 2792 Homestead Rd., Santa Clara

San Jose police obtained an arrest warrant for Rhodes after receiving information about his identity from the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, Morales said.

The sheriff's office told police Rhodes was becoming increasingly violent.

San Jose police notified agencies out of the area that Rhodes may be in Stanislaus County, Morales said.

At about 9:30 p.m. Monday, a Stanislaus County sheriff's deputy pulled over a vehicle associated with Rhodes in Modesto, and arrested him on the warrant, Morales said.

He then was held at the Stanislaus County Jail for a separate charge, Morales said.

When the sheriff's office in Stanislaus is done with their case on Rhodes, he will be extradited to San Jose, he said.

Anyone with information on Rhodes or the five bank robberies is asked to call the San Jose police at (408) 277-4166, the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office at (408) 808-4500 or the Santa Clara police at (408) 615-4814. Anonymous calls can also be made at (408) 947-7867.

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