Depoe Bay, Oregon – Two men accused of carrying out an armed bank robbery along the Oregon coast are now in custody after law enforcement recovered more than $50,000 in stolen cash and seized multiple weapons. Authorities say the suspects attempted to evade capture by switching vehicles and setting one car on fire before being tracked down in nearby Newport.
Incident Overview
According to a statement from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the robbery occurred shortly before noon on Thursday at a Columbia Bank branch in Depoe Bay, a small coastal community in Lincoln County. Investigators say two armed men entered the bank, demanded access to the vault, and fled with approximately $50,000 in cash.
The suspects have been identified as Franco Armando Mereno Jr., 37, of Portland, and Jonathan F. Schwentner, 43, of Canby. Both men are currently being held on multiple felony charges, including robbery, aggravated theft, and kidnapping, officials confirmed.
Timeline of Events
Sheriff’s officials say the suspects initially escaped the scene in a red sedan, speeding north along Highway 101, a major coastal route. A short time later, the vehicle was found intentionally set on fire in a vacant lot within Depoe Bay, suggesting a planned attempt to destroy evidence and delay pursuit.
A witness then reported seeing two men abandon the burning car and enter a gray Toyota, which they used to continue their escape. Roughly one hour later, law enforcement located a parked and unoccupied gray Toyota Camry near Don Davis Park in Newport, raising further suspicion that the suspects had switched vehicles again.
Details From Law Enforcement
During a search of the area around Don Davis Park, officers discovered clothing items stuffed into a public trash can…