Oakland serial bank robbery suspect arrested at hospital after wife gave birth

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A serial bank robbery suspect from Oakland was arrested by the FBI at a Bay Area hospital hours after his wife gave birth, according to ABC 7 News sources.

The FBI armed with a federal search warrant entered the home on Stockbridge Drive early Tuesday morning. The suspect lives at the house but he was arrested earlier at another location on an arrest warrant from Contra Costa County.

A source with knowledge of the case tells ABC7news one of the charges is robbery. That source says the suspect is known as "a serial bank robber."

Residents we spoke with say there was a large banging on the door at 6 am. The early morning search of the home startled residents. After all-- this is a well-to-do neighborhood, this part of the Oakland hills. Ruth Gertmenian will tell you that.

"I'm always surprised when something bad happens up here, to be honest. I mean kind of a naivete living here since 1974."

Searching the house-- the FBI assisted by Oakland police, the CHP and Sheriff's deputies.

Duane Makela lives in his parents' home with his wife and four-year-old daughter. Neighbors tell us, Makela had moved back just a year ago. His reputation preceded him.

"I've heard that he's very volatile and that he's aggressive," Neighbors gave him a wide berth when they passed by him.

"He was often in the driveway and he was kinda menacing, actually sorta paranoid, looking at us so we would keep our heads down," said Gigi Reinheimer.

"It just didn't seem he was an approachable nice guy like you would think," said Jason Joshan.

Sources tell us, the FBI arrested Makela at a hospital before they searched the house. Neighbors say His wife had just given birth to their second child. They were surprised because they say he had a contentious relationship with his wife.

"Yelling at his kids, yelling at his wife. The wife screaming for us to call the cops, you know in the middle of the night," added Gertmenian.

She even remembers him growing up here.

"I do hear he was a scary teenager and the neighbors are relieved he's gone so."

Makela's father did not respond to questions outside his home.

There were some tense moments during the search. Agents thought they saw a suspicious device and called the Alameda County Sheriff's office, which sent a bomb-sniffing dog. It turned out to be what authorities call a "hoax device", something made to look like a bomb.

ABC7news has learned that Makela served state prison time on a robbery conviction in the mid-1990s. He's being housed at the Contra Costa County jail.