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Valencia Bank Robber Ordered To Pay Almost $15,000 In Restitution

A Valencia bank robber was ordered to pay almost $15,000 in restitution, after pleading no contest to a spree of robberies in Southern California.


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James Hamill, 27, of Valencia, is believed to be responsible for several bank robberies in the Southland over the span of two months.

The Los Angeles County Superior Court ordered Hamill to pay US Bank $10,641.06, Preferred Bank: $3,394 and Chase Bank $400, according to Ricardo Santiago, spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office.

Hamill was charged with six counts of robbery in addition to two counts of attempted robbery, but pleaded no contest to two counts of second-degree robberies as part of a plea deal

See Related: Valencia Bank Robbery Suspect Sentenced To Six Years In Prison

Burbank Police detectives also identified Hamill’s accomplice, who allegedly acted as a getaway driver in at least one of the robberies, as 22-year-old Valencia resident Samantha Yaworski.

“The robbery spree began in March of 2018 and spanned about two months, during which two U.S. Bank locations in the City of Burbank were robbed,” said Sgt. Derek Green with the Burbank Police Department.

The first robbery was on April 20, when a man entered the branch on the 1700 block of W. Olive Avenue in Burbank and produced a note demanding money.

“A witness inside the bank attempted to detain the suspect, but was unable to,” Green said.

The suspect was armed with a pellet gun resembling a real handgun, which he left behind at the scene.

See Related: Woman Sentenced, Man Goes To Hearing In Bank Robbery Case

“The gun was certainly an important piece of evidence,” Green said. “However, the gun itself was not what led to his identity.”

Those details are being withheld until the case is closed, he said.

Burbank Police detectives investigating these cases met with investigators from surrounding law enforcement agencies and learned the same suspect was likely responsible for additional bank robberies in Newhall, Valencia, Pico Rivera and the City of Orange, as well as an attempted bank robbery in Van Nuys, officials said.

On May 2, arrest warrants were issued for Hamill and Yaworski, and on May 4, both were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department after they entered a U.S. Bank located in the 10000 block of Riverside Drive in North Hollywood.

“The two were spotted by bank employees standing in line at the bank, (who) recognized them and called 9-1-1, which led to a fast response from the LAPD,” Green said.

On May 7, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed six counts of robbery in addition to two counts of attempted robbery against Hamill, and one count of attempted robbery against Yaworski.

Hamill faces up to six years in prison.

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Valencia Bank Robber Ordered To Pay Almost $15,000 In Restitution

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About Devon Miller

Devon Miller was born and raised in Santa Clarita. He joined KHTS Radio as a digital marketing intern in September of 2017, and later moved to news as a staff writer in December. Miller attended College of the Canyons and served as the Associated Student Government President. Miller is now News Director for KHTS, covering breaking news and politics across the Santa Clarita Valley.