Two Arrested in Connection with Bay Area Bank Robbery
Authorities arrested two suspects in connection with a bank robbery in Alamo and an attempted robbery in Lafayette. A replica Glock handgun was recovered at the time of the arrest. The incidents occurred in the East Bay.
- The two suspects have been identified as Jarmaya Tillman, 23, of Antioch, and Allen Charles Benjamin Foster, 20, of Oakland. Tillman is being held on $200,000 bail, and Foster's bail is set at $150,000. - Both suspects have prior criminal records. Tillman has previous arrests for burglary, possession of live ammunition as a minor, and possession of a concealed firearm. Foster has had nine arrests since 2023 for charges including vehicle theft, grand theft, robbery, receiving stolen property, and gun charges. - The incident began with a reported bank robbery on Danville Boulevard in Alamo, followed by an attempted robbery outside a bank on Mt. Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette. After a search involving multiple police departments, the suspects were detained near East Street in Lafayette. - Authorities are investigating a possible link between the suspects and a third similar incident that occurred shortly before the Alamo robbery. - While robbery with a replica firearm does not carry the same sentencing enhancements as using a real firearm in California, it is still a felony offense. Displaying an imitation firearm in public can be charged as a misdemeanor. - The use of replica or "ghost guns" in crimes has been a growing concern for law enforcement. In 2023, privately made firearms accounted for 9.55% of all guns used in crimes in California. - This robbery occurs as overall robbery rates have been declining in the Bay Area. In the first half of 2025, San Francisco's robbery rate was 29% lower than in the first half of 2024. - Statewide data also shows a decrease in robberies. In 2024, robberies in California decreased by 7.5% compared to the previous year.
