Santa Barbara officers arrest alleged serial robber
March 9, 2025
By KAREN VELIE
Santa Barbara officers arrested a serial robber on Friday who allegedly targeted businesses in both Carpinteria and Santa Barbara.
Following two robberies in January, the Santa Barbara Police Department and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the robberies. On Jan. 12, the robber hit the City Market in Carpinteria. On Jan. 13, he robbed the Mechanics Bank in Santa Barbara.
Then on March 3, the suspect robbed El Corte Perfecto, a beauty salon in Carpinteria.
Detectives identified the suspected robber as 47-year-old Hipolito Francisco Hernandez of Carpinteria. During his arrest, detectives found evidence of the robberies in Hernandez’s possession, including a gun.
Officers booked Hernandez in the Santa Barbara County Jail with his bail set at $1 million.
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