A suspect known as the “live to go home” bank robber was arraigned in court Thursday for allegedly robbing five San Francisco banks in five months, prosecutors said today.
Artis Renard Monroe, 58, of San Francisco, was already in custody in another county when San Francisco prosecutors charged him in the case this week, district attorney’s office spokesman Seth Steward said.
Monroe is suspected of robbing banks in the city on Dec. 23, 2009, and on Jan. 14, Feb. 11, March 23 and April 12 of this year.
According to prosecutors, Monroe would allegedly enter the banks and deliver a note to the teller demanding money and saying that in return, the teller would “live to go home.”
He never displayed a weapon.
District Attorney Kamala Harris called the alleged crimes “dangerous and outrageous” in a statement.
Monroe “walked into bank after bank after bank and stole others’ hard-earned money by threatening the lives of bank employees,” Harris said.
Monroe pleaded not guilty Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court to 13 felonies, including robbery and burglary, Steward said.
He faces life in prison if convicted because of two prior felony strike convictions, according to Steward. He is being held on $1 million bail and returns to court Oct. 5 for a preliminary hearing.
Ari Burack, Bay City News
