Man accused in string of Westside bank robberies pleads not guilty
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A man who authorities say robbed seven banks in the last five months, mostly on L.A.’s Westside, has been arrested, officials said Monday.
Alim Shamil Urmancheev, 44, of Studio City, who was arrested a week ago, is accused of robbing banks in Los Angeles and Santa Monica between September and January. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 10 counts of second-degree robbery.
FBI officials said the robberies were conducted by a man whom authorities nicknamed the Westside Gun and Bag Bandit because he wore sunglasses and either a baseball cap or cowboy hat, carried a brown paper bag for the money and threatened bank employees with a gun.
Urmancheev is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail and is scheduled to be back in court Feb. 26 to set a preliminary hearing date.
Twitter: @josephserna
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