Mary Alaiupe Mapa
PALO ALTO — The Palo Alto Police are announcing the arrest of a female bank robbery suspect shown in a photo wearing a dark brown colored wig.
According to Palo Alto Police, “Personnel from the Sheriff’s Office arrested the suspect, 27-year-old Mary Alailupe Mapa, at her home in East Palo Alto on Thursday, August 4, 2016.”
Mapa was also charged with an August 2nd robbery that also occurred in Palo Alto. Police stated, “Detectives from the Palo Alto Police Department worked collaboratively with their counterparts from numerous allied law enforcement agencies (including the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety) and were able to connect Mapa to our robbery.”
After walking into the Star One Credit Union on August 2, 2016, located at 3903 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, Mapa waited in line and then, once approaching the teller, handed them a note which threatened the employee and demanded a large amount of money. The teller complied with the note and did not see a weapon.
According to police, “Witnesses described the suspect as a heavy-set, black female in her twenties or thirties, standing about 5’10″ tall. She had long, dark hair, and was wearing sunglasses, a light colored blouse, and a black jacket.”
Mapa is suspect in more than 9 bank robberies throughout the area. In a collaboration with the Palo Alto Police Department, Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, and Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office, authorities were able to identify and locate and arrest Mapa for the robberies.
