2 suspects caught in bank heist

A take-over style robbery that began at a bank on Costa Mesa’s Eastside made its way all the way up to a Los Angeles County mall after a high-speed pursuit, authorities said. When it was all done, police had two suspects in custody.

The FBI identified the two suspects in custody as Demetrick L. Smart, 23, of Los Angeles, and Anthony Joseph Casio, 25, of Los Angeles. They are expected to be charged Wednesday or Thursday, according to the FBI.

Three of the five suspects are still at large after the group bailed out of the get-away car and ran into a Baldwin Hills mall, authorities said.

At 9:40 a.m. Tuesday three men wearing black ski masks, gloves and other dark clothing burst into the Downey Savings and Loan, 360 E. 17th St., and grabbed an undisclosed amount of money before escaping in a blue Toyota Camry, police said.

The robbers dumped the Camry a few blocks away and continued on in another getaway car, a black Toyota Sequoia driven by another suspect, authorities said.

The other four men ducked down in the back so it would look as if only one man were in the car, and headed off toward the freeway, police said.

The trick might have succeeded if a witness did not see the swap, police said. A police helicopter picked up the pursuit where the 73 and 55 freeways connect, police said.

Costa Mesa patrol cars soon caught up and the chase continued north along the 405 Freeway and into Huntington Beach where the suspects exited the freeway.

The men soon reentered the freeway, still heading north, but not before colliding with a Costa Mesa patrol car, police said. No one was injured in that collision, Sgt. Bryan Glass said.

Costa Mesa officers continued the chase until the suspects halted at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza mall in Los Angeles, authorities said.

Contrary to earlier reports that all five suspects were in custody, only two of the men have been captured by police, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

Authorities closed the mall to search it, but could not find the other three suspects, she said.

The investigation is still pending and has been taken over by federal investigators, who have jurisdiction over bank robberies.

KELLY STRODL may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at [email protected]. DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at [email protected].