San Jose’s New Helicopter Helps Arrest Bank Robbery Suspect within Minutes
Photo: Brian Edward Austin
SAN JOSE – SJPD spotlighted their new helicopter, Air3, in a recent arrest. An adult male suspect on August 1 entered a local bank and handed the teller a note demanding money. Police arrested him minutes after he entered a local bank
The copter flight crew heard the call go out for the direction of the suspect after the robbery. They began their pursuit of the suspect that led them to the Mineta San Jose International Airport. This is just minutes away from the crime scene. The airport is also home base for Air3. Ar3’s new camera system located the suspect’s vehicle. It also recorded the suspect as he drove into the airport and park in the Terminal B parking lot.
The crew watched as the suspect changed his clothes and then entered a shuttle bus traveling around the airport. The suspect then exited the shuttle bus at Terminal A. That is where police arrested him, alerted by the flight crew.
Officers arrested 46-year-old Oceanside resident Brian Edward Austin. They charged him for PC 211, robbery at City National Bank on Almaden Blvd. Law enforcement is also looking into the possibility of other bank robberies that may have been committed by Austin in surrounding areas.
