'Tourist Bandit' Robbery Suspect Arrested in Hollywood

A suspect in two bank robberies earlier this week was arrested Friday morning, officials said.

Rex Lutton, 54, was arrested near Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood after allegedly attempting to rob a customer at a Bank of America branch, said Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Los Angeles field office.

Lutton is suspected of being the so-called tourist bandit, who and Venice earlier this week, Eimiller said.

Security officers, who work with the Sunset & Vine Business Improvement District, saw the suspect fleeing shortly after 9 a.m. Friday, with a man chasing after him yelling, "That guy just robbed me," officer Julie Boyer of the LAPD's Hollywood Division told Patch.

According to the police report, Boyer said, LAPD officers searched Lutton's motel room near Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street and found a bank bag, which prompted them to contact federal officials. 

"He was on federal probation for bank robbery, with a warrant for escape from the U.S. Marshals," Boyer said.

"The victim said he was making a cash withdrawal, and while counting the money, Lutton approached him from behind and said put the money back in the bag," Boyer said. "The victim removed a taser from his pocket and pointed it at Lutton, but the taser refused to fire. The suspect then ran out of the bank with no property."

Lutton was booked at the Hollywood Division at approximately 9:40 Friday morning. He was booked on state charges in connection with Friday's attempted armed robbery and is expected to be booked on federal charges stemming from the other two bank robberies, Eimiller told Patch.

For the record: The original article identified it was officers of the Hollywood Beautification Team who helped apprehend the suspect, but it was security officers who work with the Sunset & Vine Business improvement district. We apologize for any confusion.