iPod Bus Bandit Arrested at Saddleback
On Sept. 10 Orange County Sheriffs arrested Christopher Castillo, 22, who allegedly robbed a fellow passenger at knifepoint aboard an Orange County Transportation Authority bus near Saddleback College on Sept. 3.
The suspect escaped with the victim’s iPod, but was caught on the bus’s surveillance cameras.
OCSD released security footage to draw tips about his identity. Castillo was arrested at Saddleback and booked at 7:26 p.m. on Sept. 10 according to the OCSD arrest log.
Security camera footage shows the suspect boarding the bus at Saddleback. According to a press release, Castillo told the driver that he was due for a court appearance and that he could go to jail if he misses this appointment.
He sits down beside another passenger, a juvenile, and turns to address him. He shoves an object into his pocket and exits the bus, but not before providing a clear view of his face to the camera.
After Castillo exited at Moulton and Crown Valley, the juvenile victim reported to police that the suspect brandished a knife and took his iPod Touch. Police believe the suspect attempted to pressure the victim not to report the crime. The suspect “is not involved with Saddleback in any way,” Saddleback Police Chief Harry Parmer said. OC Sheriffs found Castillo again at Saddleback on Wednesday evening and charged him with one count of felony robbery. He is being held at the Central Men’s Jail to await a court appearance Friday, Sept 12 at the Harbor Justice Center.