BANK ROBBERY SUSPECTS TO BE ARRAIGNED TODAY.

Byline: Krystn Shrieve Staff Writer

Three Los Angeles residents suspected of robbing a Thousand Oaks bank at gunpoint and leading police on a high-speed chase are scheduled to be arraigned today in federal court on armed robbery charges, authorities said Thursday.

Marcus Christopher Timmons, 26, a model and personal trainer; Charley Saturmin Robinet, 24, a French citizen who also works as a personal trainer; and Edward B. Johnson, 30, were held in Ventura County Jail in lieu of $50,000 each.

According to authorities, two masked gunmen entered the Wells Fargo Bank on East Thousand Oaks Boulevard about 10:20 a.m. Thursday, hit a teller in the face with the butt of a rifle, then forced another teller to open the safe.

They grabbed an undetermined amount of cash, then fled west with a get-away driver on the Ventura Freeway. Law enforcement officials laid down a spike strip that punctured the tires of the trio's vehicle as they neared Ventura. Two suspects were apprehended after a short foot chase; the other was arrested in the vehicle.

Brent Robbins, a special agent with the FBI, said authorities are still investigating whether the suspects are linked to any of the four other bank robberies committed during the past month in the Conejo Valley.

``I can't really say why this area is being targeted,'' Robbins said. ``It's like the stock market. I can't really say why that goes up or down either.''

Local law enforcement officers have speculated that it could be because the city is freeway accessible or that its banks take fewer security measures than branches in more urban areas.

But Robbins discounted those theories.

``You could probably say these things about every city along the 101,'' Robbins said. ``And the security at banks in this area is pretty standard. Their state of awareness is just as high out here as it is in other areas. And I'm sure after this month it's even more so.''