Man captured after attempting to rob Guadalupe bank

October 16, 2020

Maurice Antwion Pilgrim

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A Detroit man suspected of robbing CoastHills Credit Union in Lompoc on Tuesday allegedly attempted to rob a bank in Guadalupe on Thursday, prompting a high-speed chase that ended with his arrest at the entrance gate of Vandenberg Air Force Base.

On Thursday at about 1:30 p.m., Maurice Antwion Pilgrim, 19, entered Mechanics Bank located at 905 Guadalupe Street, and handed a note demanding money to a teller, according to the Guadalupe Police Department. The teller refused Pilgrim’s demand.

The would-be robber then took back the note and fled.

Guadalupe police officers arrived at the scene and obtained statements from witnesses describing the suspect and his vehicle. The Guadalupe Police Department shared the descriptions with other law enforcement agencies.

Earlier in the day, a vehicle matching the description of Pilgrim’s had been reported for reckless driving.

Shortly after Pilgrim fled, a sheriff’s deputy spotted the suspect’s vehicle traveling southbound on Highway 1 near Casmalia Road. The deputy tried to stop the vehicle, but Pilgrim did not comply and a high-speed pursuit ensued.

The chase reached speeds of more than 100 mph. CHP officers and a Santa Barbara County helicopter assisted sheriff’s deputies with the chase.

Eventually, Pilgrim drove onto the Vandenberg Air Force Base property near the visitor center. Pilgrim drove over a curb into a landscaped area, exited his vehicle and fled by foot.

Deputies chased after Pilgrim and quickly caught him at the gates to the air base.

Authorities arrested Pilgrim on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and evading police and booked him into the Lompoc Jail. Pilgrim is also facing attempted robbery charges.


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He has always felt bad because no one can pronounce that middle name. Must be French, or something.


Wow, Guadalupe to Vandenberg on Hwy 1—not exactly the autobahn. Must have been Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. My thanks to the LEO that conducted this apprehension, yet I’m hesitant to endorse a 100mph chase on public roads, especially when helicopters had the suspect under surveillance and according to this report he left without actually stealing anything.


Radios were invented at the turn of the 20th century. They should have been the primary method to curtail Mr. Pilgrim this time rather than endangering farmers and citizens who frequent that usually quiet road.


Very nice job by all law enforcement. I hope he does some real time for his crimes. They say, ‘no brains, no headaches”. It will be interesting to see if others will be blamed or be the cause of his criminal activities. After all, we are blasted weekly that some have been oppressed over the years and are justified for this kind of behavior. I think not!


should have learned to make a career of theft, you need to be in government.


So he failed his attempt to rob a bank, fled the scene with a high speed chase and then broken into a Military Base to hide. Will he start a go fund me account to pay his legal expenses, may as well?


That boy needs to find a new career because robbing banks just isn’t something he’s good at period. Idiot.


He was successful at 50% that’s way better than our weather reporters.


Welcome to California Pilgrim. At least you’re not back in Detroit looting, shooting, and killing innocent children/young black men and women. //s//


A-Hole!