The Cupertino Courier

News Briefs

Sacramento police capture suspected local bank robber

An escaped prisoner who allegedly robbed a Cupertino bank was captured in Sacramento on Jan. 31, the Sheriff's Department said.

Karin Hess, 33, was captured by Sacramento Police and FBI agents acting on an anonymous tip about her whereabouts.

She is suspected of robbing 11 banks in Santa Clara County and the Sacramento area since her Jan. 4 escape from a local hospital ward while in custody on charges ranging from assault with a deadly weapon to attempted robbery.

Hess escaped from Valley Medical Center with a cast on her injured arm. One Sheriff's deputy was assigned to five inmates seeking treatment at the hospital.

On Jan. 6, a woman matching Hess' description robbed a Cupertino EurekaBank branch across from Vallco Fashion Park.

Faculty member's handwriting being analysed by investigators

Investigators took handwriting samples from a staff member at Homestead High School two weeks ago to be matched against a threatening letter sent to former principal David Payne in December, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.

The samples were submitted to analysts last week.

In December, Payne received a card that depicted him with knives stuck in his back and warned that Payne "should always be looking over his shoulder."

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