Attempted Bank Robbery Suspect Felt the ‘Gig Was Up’ and Walked Out

Updated at 12:20 a.m. May 4, 2012

A 52-year-old Ramona man apparently got cold feet during a robbery Thursday afternoon of the Wells Fargo Bank branch inside the Stater Bros. market on Main Street, authorities said.

Stephen Michael Coulter was being held on $100,000 bail in County Jail, and faces arraignment at 1:30 p.m. Monday in El Cajon Superior Court on a robbery charge, according to jail records.

He had presented a demand note but made no threats and wasn’t armed in the incident a little before 2:20 p.m., said sheriff’s Sgt. Greg Rylaarsdam.

“One of my deputies spoke to the teller and she said she was getting the money, [but] he took the note and walked away,” Rylaarsdam said. “So maybe he thought the gig was up.”

The FBI, also investigating the case, took the demand note, but Rylaarsdam says the report of the incident mentioned the note saying, “This is a robbery.”

Five sheriff’s cars descended on the scene quickly, with the first (including Rylaarsdam) arriving 1 minute, 20 seconds after the report came in at 2:16 p.m., he said.

Deputies took Coulter into custody outside the Stater Bros. store at 1674 Main St.  The suspect had no weapon.

“The impression he gave was he up and walked away,” Rylaarsdam said.