Irvine, Calif. (March 13, 2017) – Irvine Police Department detectives have arrested the suspect in an armed robbery that occurred on Dec. 3, 2014. Charles Thomas Kelley IV, 25, was taken into custody on March 10. He is accused of armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and making terrorist threats.
On Dec. 3, 2014, a male victim visited a drive-up ATM at a Wells Fargo branch in the Woodbridge area of Irvine. The suspect approached the victim, grabbed his arm, held a knife to his throat and demanded that the victim produce $1,000. The victim said he did not have that much money in his account, and offered the $300 cash he was about to deposit in the ATM.
Recognizing that the suspect would not settle for the $300, the victim tried to grab the knife. A struggle ensued, and the victim sustained several lacerations to his wrist and arm, which required more than 20 stitches. During the struggle, the suspect was injured and blood was deposited on the victim’s shirt. The victim was able to drive away, but the suspect managed to get a portion of the victim’s cash and his ATM card.
In August 2016, Kelley was arrested after a fight in San Diego. As part of that case, he was required to produce DNA. On March 9, the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) matched Kelley’s DNA to the sample taken from the armed robbery in Irvine on Dec. 3, 2014.
Irvine Police detectives responded promptly and located Kelley at his place of businesses in Rancho Santa Margarita on March 10. He was arrested and taken to the Irvine Police Department, then transferred to Orange County Jail.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Detective Jason Renshaw at 949-724-7244 or jrenshaw@cityofirvine.org.