Oscar Barretto
Ventura County – Banker’s hours certainly aren’t what they used to be. Not only are bank employees regularly putting in a full 8 hour day like anyone else, but some days they’re required to perform under extraordinary and difficult circumstances as evidenced by the events that took place on the afternoon of April 23rd at Oxnard’s Wells Fargo Bank.
According to Oxnard Police Department spokesman Sgt. Brett Smith, it was at approximately 3:45 p.m. on that Saturday when a bank patron was allegedly attacked by a man wielding “a large folding knife” while he was attempting to convince bank staff that he was in possession of “an explosive device.”
Once the bank patron fended off the knife attack, the suspect apparently thought better of his plan and exited the premises with all due alacrity.
Shortly thereafter—pursuant to a 911 Emergency call placed to the Oxnard Police Department reporting the robbery attempt—Oxnard Police Officer Jodi Schwabauer rolled up to the bank and spotted a man matching the witness description fleeing from the area on foot.
Apparently unimpressed with the suspect’s running ability, Schwabauer summarily ran Oscar Barretto, a 51-year-old Oxnard resident, to the ground and promptly took him into custody.
Investigation revealed Barretto to be “in possession of Wells Fargo property,” and was arrested at the scene.
Arriving to find Schwabauer in control of Barretto were detectives from the Oxnard P.D. Violent Crimes Unit and agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Barretto was transported to Ventura County Jail, where he was booked on charges of attempted bank robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
Photo: courtesy Ventura County Jail Booking
