Robbery Suspect’s Alibi Was All Wet

The soaking wet man in a bathrobe who answered police officers’ knock on a hotel room door Wednesday wasn’t fooling anyone.

Police said that moments earlier, two men had been hanging around Home Savings Bank on 17th Street in Costa Mesa wearing wigs and fake beards obvious enough to make people suspicious.

When officers arrived at about 10:45 a.m., the two men ran in opposite directions, police said.

Officers caught Christopher Michael Russo, a 24-year-old transient, at a T-shirt shop, police said. But the other man, Brian Martineall, a 22-year-old transient, ducked into an unlocked room at the Park Place Motel, police said.

Martineall hopped in the shower, answering the door for police moments later dripping wet and in a robe and underwear, police said.

Officers found two handguns, a wig, a beard and men’s clothing discarded throughout the neighborhood.

Both men were arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit bank robbery.