Suspect With Star Quality Arrested

NEWPORT BEACH —  A Clark Gable look-alike was arrested Friday at his favorite pub on suspicion of robbing a savings and loan teller of $2,000 at knifepoint, police said.

A police officer who heard a broadcast about the holdup remembered that the description of the robber matched that of a certain transient: The robber looked like Clark Gable and walked with a limp.

So police Officer Ron Vallercamp found Chester Austin Washburn, 51, having a drink at the Snug Harbor bar.

Vallercamp, a 10-year veteran of the Police Department, arrested Washburn after searching his bicycle, which was parked nearby, and finding a knife and $2,000 believed taken from an Imperial Savings branch at 3366 Via Lido.

“The people at the bank said the suspect strongly resembled Clark Gable and walked with a limp,” Police Sgt. Andy Gonis said.

Mike Chinienti, a Snug Harbor bartender, said Washburn is a regular and “a real nice guy” who often did odd jobs around the place to earn a couple of bucks or a warm meal.

“Everybody loves him,” Chinienti said. “What happened with the bank was ridiculous--he was drunk.”

Washburn stopped by the bar early in the morning to clean some rugs, Chinienti said.

“I said, ‘Oh Chester, you’re too drunk.’ He said, ‘Well, OK, I guess I’ll go rob a bank then,’ and left,” Chinienti said.

Washburn later returned to the bar.

“He showed me the note he used,” Chinienti said. “It said, ‘Put the money in the sack.’ ”

Chinienti said he didn’t believe Washburn until Vallercamp appeared seeking the suspect.

Washburn was being held at Newport City Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.