Alceu Johnny Andreis, Bank Burglary, California 2024

A brazen heist crew led by Alceu Johnny Andreis, 48, of Banning, California, conducted a 10-year-long series of heists targeting Southland banks by cutting through rooftops.

Andreis received a 20-year sentence, the statutory maximum, for participating in two burglaries. He was convicted of two counts of bank burglary in relation to thefts from an East West Bank branch in Rowland Heights in 2011 and a BBCN Bank branch in Diamond Bar in 2012.

The evidence presented at trial showed that Andreis led a crew of rooftop bank burglars for at least a decade. They burglarized the victim banks after detailed and thorough planning, which included “casing” the banks, learning about the bank’s security systems, and conducting numerous “dry runs” of the heists.

Andreis and his crew cut holes in the roofs of the banks and resealed them so as not to arouse suspicion. During the burglaries, members of the team wiped down their equipment to ensure no DNA or fingerprints were left behind, communicated via walkie-talkies, disabled the banks’ security systems, re-opened the pre-cut rooftop holes, jackhammered holes into the banks’ thick concrete vaults, and rappelled down into the vaults.

Once they had access to the vaults, the burglars opened dozens of safe deposit boxes to steal cash, jewelry, coins, and other valuables inside, and they took the cash inside the vaults.

Andreis and his crew evenly split the burglary proceeds and ensured that their equipment was cleaned and their clothing was identical to avoid detection. In addition to the prison term, Judge Fischer ordered Andreis to pay $12,082,403 in restitution to two financial institutions, their insurance carriers, and numerous safe deposit box customers.

The case against Andreis and his crew was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which received substantial assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joanna M. Curtis of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Assistant United States Attorney Christen A. Sproule of the Asset Forfeiture Section.

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