A chef known for his work at Italian restaurants in San Francisco has been arrested and charged after a series of bank robberies in the city last week, according to police.
San Francisco Police Department officers responded to an alarm at a central San Francisco bank around noon on September 10. Police say a man passed a note demanding money to an employee, who complied out of fear. The suspect left with a bag of money. Investigators, aided by community input, identified the suspect as Valentino Luchin, 62, of San Francisco and arrested him.
Police said two other banks in the same district were robbed that day using similar methods and by a suspect matching Luchin’s description. He has been charged with robbery and attempted robbery for all three incidents. According to the San Francisco Sheriff’s website, Luchin is being held on $200,000 bail.
The public defender assigned to represent Luchin declined immediate comment, stating he needed time to review the case.
Local news outlets report that Luchin was previously known for his roles at restaurants including Rose Pistola and Ottavio. He was also charged with robbing a bank in Contra Costa County in 2018. During an interview with KGO-TV while detained at that time, Luchin said: “I went inside and said ‘good morning. Nobody move. This is a robbery.’”
He explained financial hardship after his Walnut Creek restaurant Ottavio closed in 2016.
“We’ve been struggling a lot financially and I have a family,” Luchin said. “I feel bad. It wasn’t something I was planning or doing for a living.”
