Detectives arrested 31-year-old Andrew Bekman (31) and 28-year-old Amira Askew for First-Degree Robbery

On Wednesday (Nov. 20) at about 9:30 a.m., the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT Team executed a search warrant at a home in Battle Ground in connection with a bank robbery investigation. 

Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) investigators, along with assistance from the Vancouver Police Department and Portland Police Bureau, arrested two people believed to be involved in more than 10 bank robberies in Washington and Oregon. 

Detectives arrested Andrew Bekman (31) and Amira Askew (28) for First-Degree Robbery. Investigators believe Bekman and Askew robbed the Umpqua Bank in Salmon Creek on Nov. 6 and suspect their involvement in other bank robberies in the Vancouver/Portland metro area dating back to June of 2024.

At the scene of the search warrant executed on Wednesday, detectives seized clothing matching those worn during multiple robberies, as well as firearms, ballistic vests, and stolen vehicles. Detectives also recovered a note with the words, “This is a robbery. I have a gun. Empty your till.”

Background on the Umpqua Bank robbery

On Nov. 6, deputies responded to a robbery at the Umpqua Bank in Salmon Creek just before 5 p.m. A teller reported that a male and female wearing masks had just robbed them. The male implied he had a gun, and the suspects left the bank with an unknown amount of cash.

Patrol deputies, detectives, and the CCSO Tactical Detective Unit (TDU) worked together to collect video and other evidence from the scene. CCSO then asked for the community’s assistance in identifying the suspects. A tip from a member of the public helped identify both suspects and led TDU to their house in Battle Ground. Following their arrests, Bekman and Askew confessed to the Umpqua Bank robbery, along with several others.   

CCSO would like to thank the public for providing crucial information that led to the apprehension of these suspects. We would also like to thank the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT Team, the Vancouver Police Department, and the Portland Police Bureau for their partnership and assistance. 

Information provided by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.