San Francisco Chef Arrested for Triple Bank Robbery

Chef Valentino Luchin, 62, arrested after allegedly robbing three San Francisco banks in a single day.

Valentino Luchin was taken into custody following a series of note-pass robberies across San Francisco’s Central District on September 10, authorities announced Monday.

Police say Luchin, a former executive chef at Rose Pistola, entered three banks that day, handed tellers handwritten notes demanding cash, and fled each location with money.

Nut Graf

Luchin’s arrest underscores growing concerns over escalating hold-up tactics in urban centers and highlights the San Francisco Police Department’s swift investigative response. Once renowned for his culinary expertise, the chef now faces multiple felony charges.

Robbery Details

  • Time and Location: Around 12:02 p.m. on September 10 at a bank on the 1100 block of Grant Avenue, followed by two more heists in the Central District that afternoon.
  • Modus Operandi: Luchin passed handwritten demand notes to tellers, who complied out of fear for their safety. Amounts taken at each stop were not disclosed.
  • Identification and Arrest: Tips from the community and SFPD’s “Ambassadors” program helped link all three incidents. A tactical plan led to Luchin’s arrest without incident later that day near his residence in the Central District.

Charges and Background

Luchin was booked into San Francisco County Jail on two counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery. This marks his second bank robbery arrest; in 2018, he allegedly stole $18,000 from a Citibank in Orinda using a BB gun.

Career and Financial Struggles

An Italian-born chef who rose to prominence in San Francisco’s dining scene, Luchin helmed Rose Pistola before opening Ottavio in Walnut Creek, which shuttered in 2016. Following that closure, he faced mounting debts and declared bankruptcy, a downturn he later said drove him to desperation.

What’s Next

Luchin remains held without bail pending arraignment. Prosecutors must now decide whether to file formal charges at his upcoming court appearance, as the investigation into the financial motives and full extent of his alleged crimes continues.