Amador County – A bank robbery suspect was arrested Wednesday by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department, and reportedly implicated himself in an Amador County bank robbery.

Phillip Dale Selfa of Stockton was arrested in Stockton and booked into the San Joaquin County Jail, which confirmed that he is facing charges of first degree robbery, making a false bomb report, and sending a false bomb. He was booked on an open warrant on May 18 and his first court date was set for 1:30 p.m. today at the Stockton Courthouse.

Selfa reportedly was linked by DNA to a bank robbery and also implicated himself in an Amador County bank robbery, according to a report Thursday by the Lodi News-Sentinel. Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner said Thursday that he would release details next week “as they relate to our case.”

In late January, the Amador County Sheriff’s Office said a suspect from a mid-January bank robbery in Stockton could be linked to the Dec. 27, 2010 robbery of the Bank of Stockton in Pine Grove, in Amador County.

The suspect was in custody in San Joaquin County for the robbery of a bank in Lockeford, but reportedly was released for lack of evidence.

The Amador Sheriff’s Office in January said the “method used by the suspect in the robbery of the Bank of the West in Lockeford was strikingly similar to the method used by the suspect in the robbery of the Bank of Stockton in Pine Grove, including actions and/or facts withheld … to protect the integrity of the investigation.”

The Pine Grove Bank was robbed “by a white male suspect, carrying a bag, which he said contained explosives.” Images of the robber were captured by surveillance video, and tips identified nine people of interest related to the Pine Grove Bank robbery. Detectives interviewed all nine people, “and collected voluntary DNA samples from five.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.