Image: File photo of Westenberger | Courtesy of RCSO
The Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station Investigations Bureau has identified Reese Westenberger, a 59-year-old resident of Anaheim, as the suspect in bank robberies that took place in Palm Desert on June 26, 2024, and July 11, 2024. Westenberger was taken into custody on July 23, 2024, in Anaheim and booked on two counts of robbery at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility.
The July 11 robbery occurred at 12:21 p.m. on Highway 111, where the suspect demanded money from a bank teller without showing a weapon. After receiving an undisclosed amount of money, the suspect fled. He matched the description of the individual involved in the June 26 robbery at another Highway 111 bank location. Deputies were unable to locate the suspect immediately following the July 11 incident.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation and is asking for the public’s assistance. Anyone with information on the suspect’s immediate whereabouts should call 911 or contact Investigator Villasenor at 760–836–1600. For media inquiries, please reach out to the Media Information Bureau.
