UPDATE: All three siblings were taken down in Colorado Wednesday… More to come on this case.
Authorities released video of three siblings involved in a shoot out with a deputy. Pasco County Sheriff’s office said a white vehicle would not pull over for a traffic stop in Zephyrills, FL around 7 a.m. on August 2. The video shows the deputy chasing a white Subaru when seven to nine rounds were fired at him.
Later that same day, just after 12-noon, investigators in Valdosta, Georgia responded to shots fired inside a bank. Three suspects, all wearing masks and dressed in black, stormed inside a Certus Bank and began firing shots into the air, instructing all innocent victims inside to get on the ground. Authorities believe two out of the three robbers had weapons and one was described as an AK-47.
Authorities in Philadelphia say this man is a person of interest in numerous bank robberies that have occurred in Northeast Philadelphia. The suspect is a white male, stands about 6 feet tall, medium-build, in his 20’s and short light colored hair. Investigators say he is armed and dangerous.
If you have information, please contact Major Crimes/FBI Violent Crimes: (215) 418-4000
If you take a close look at the photos, the suspect looks like someone’s grandpa, but the FBI says this “grandpa” is a gun-wielding bandit. He is known to carry a small caliber pistol inside a leather case, and has threatened tellers that he will use it if they don’t cough up the cash. Once he gets what he wants, the suspect walks out of the bank.
The FBI believes this suspect dubbed the “Geezer Bandit” successfully robbed a bank in Santa Barbara on Jan. 28. Agents believe he’s hit 13 banks since 2009, and this was his first robbery for 2011. This is also the first time he struck in Santa Barbara.
So far, there are no reported injuries, but it appears the alleged suspect is making his way up the coast.
From the FBI’s website:
“The Geezer Bandit is believed to be responsible for robbing the following banks:”
A suspect wearing a “Carrot Top” wig and robbing a bank is wanted by the FBI. The most bizarre part about this case is not so much the orange wig, but the fact that the suspect robbed the bank with a claw hammer. This is a very unusual weapon to carry and threaten to use on a robbery.
The FBI says the Chase Bank on LaGrange Road in Orland Park, Illinois was hit by this bandit on October 7. The bandit approached the teller, handed over a note and made a verbal threat. The suspect wanted his demands met, or he was going to harm innocent people.
The bandit is described as a white male, between 20 and 25 years old, 6’0” – 6’3.” He had on a blue canvas button down shirt, blue jeans and a tan baseball cap. Witnesses told the FBI the suspect fled in a getaway vehicle described as a black mid-1990s Chevrolet Cavalier. The vehicle did not have plates on the front or back and an unknown man was in the driver’s seat. The driver is also described as a white male, in his 30s, heavier set, with thinning black hair.
If you have any information, please call the Chicago FBI at 312-421-6700
It was a bizarre scene last week at a Bank of America in Miami, Florida. A bank teller walked into his place of employment with what appeared to be a bomb strapped to his chest. He told the manager that suspects broke into his home, held him and his father hostage for hours and then attached a bomb device to his chest. The teller told authorities two suspects drove him to his bank while one suspect stayed back with his father.
The teller, who FBI agents identified as Diego Uscamayta, 25, was released late Friday after agents determined he was in fact a victim and not a part of the elaborate scheme. Over the weekend I spoke with Judy Orihuela, spokesperson with the FBI, over e-mail and she said the suspects were seen fleeing in a red Ford Mustang. That Mustang belonging to Uscamayta has since been located not far from the bank. What I find interesting is that a detailed description of the suspects has yet to be released, but authorities are currently following up on leads.
Gun wielding, wig wearing bandits could be responsible for three bank robberies in Atlanta, Georgia. Agents say since July 27, two black males wearing women’s wigs have hit Wachovia banks in close proximity. The suspects order workers and bank patrons to the floor and have fled the locations with an undisclosed amount of cash in a silver Lexus. Special Agent Stephen Emmett told me today that the vehicle was discovered last week at an undisclosed location in the Atlanta area and the car is being processed. “It’s never as fast as you see on CSI,” said Emmett, but his team is working diligently to uncover information that could lead to the suspects’ arrests.
Emmett also added that there are two other robberies in the area where the suspects were not wearing wigs, but the motive is the same. “Thankfully we do not see a lot of take over style bank robberies when they are prompting people to the floor and taking over customers.”
According to the FBI website, the robbers are described as follows:
UPDATE: On August 11, 2010, investigators closed in on the man believed to be the suspect. He is identified as 53-year-old Michael Mara and was taken into custody in Baton Rouge.
The FBI is kicking off a campaign to nab a man dubbed the “Granddad Bandit.” Agents say his crime wave spills across 13 states, and he’s suspected in up to 25 robberies. The suspect is bold, visible, and not afraid to demand what he wants. This is why his face will be plastered on 2,000 billboards across every state in America. He’s been on the run for 19 months since his first hit on December 19, 2008 at a SunTrust Bank in Richmond, Virginia. When he made his getaway, it was believed he just blended into the crowd.
The FBI says the suspect usually hands tellers a note demanding money and threatening to have a weapon. He may be traveling in a silver sports utility vehicle. The suspect may be between 50 and 60 years old, weighs about 230 pounds and may be 6 feet tall.
A $25,000 reward is offered for any information leading to his arrest.
Meanwhile, for the last 11 months the FBI has been hunting in Southern California for another suspect dubbed the “Geezer Bandit.” He appears to be an elderly man robbing banks. Most of the hits have been in San Diego County, and one in Riverside County. His latest heist was at a Bank of America in Temecula, California. If you take a close look at the photos, the suspect looks like someone’s grandpa, but the FBI says this grandpa is a gun-wielding bandit. He is known to carry a small caliber pistol inside a leather case, and has threatened tellers that he will use it if they don’t cough up the cash. Once he gets what he wants, the suspect walks out of the bank.
For the last 10 months the FBI believes an elderly man has been robbing banks. Most of the hits have been in San Diego County, and one in Riverside County. His latest heist was at a Bank of America in Temecula, California. If you take a close look at the photos, the suspect looks like someone’s grandpa, but the FBI says this grandpa is a gun-wielding bandit. He is known to carry a small caliber pistol inside a leather case, and has threatened tellers that he will use it if they don’t cough up the cash. Once he gets what he wants, the suspect walks out of the bank.
Agents believe the white male is between 60-70 years old, he’s fairly tall, standing about six feet, and weighing just less than 200 pounds.
From the FBI’s website:
“The Geezer Bandit is believed to be responsible for robbing the following banks:”
A female dubbed the “Starlet Bandit” has hit 10 banks in California. The FBI links the suspect to 10 robberies since 2008, eight of which were the last two weeks. The name “Starlet Bandit” was given to her because of her initial robberies in Hollywood, and the large glasses she wears. In many instances the bandit carries a cell phone decorated with jewels. Over the last couple years, authorities say, it appears the “Starlet Bandit” has gained weight, and has been seen fleeing from banks in a white Toyota Avalon with a male driver.
INFORMATION FROM AN FBI RELEASE:
The Starlet Bandit is further described as follows:
Gender: Female
Race: White
Age: 20-28
Height: 5’5” to 5’7”
Weight: 140 – 170 lbs
Clothing: Baseball cap, black sunglasses, beige hooded sweater, and jeans
Please call the FBI if you have any information: (310) 477-6565
The FBI is trying to track down two men dubbed “Grandpa Bandits.” Agents say one suspect is responsible for six stick-ups and the other is a suspect in 18 robberies across 12 states. So far, “Grandpa Bandit” #1 has struck banks in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The FBI has had tremendous success with their digital billboards, and currently there are 75 of them displayed in those states looking for information. “Grandpa Bandit” # 2 is on the run in Oregon, and his most recent robbery was last week at a branch in Medford. The FBI says his previous five robberies were in Salem, Sherwood, West Linn, and Hillsboro. In one instance, a teller told agents the suspect did show a weapon in his waistband, and did threaten to kill the teller. Most of the incidents take 90 seconds or less. According to a recent crime statistic report for 2009 released by the FBI, there were a total of 5,943 robberies of banks last year with more than $45 million taken from institutions, and the hours of 9 – 11 a.m. were the most popular times to strike.
Michelle Sigona is a crime fighting, victims advocate extraordinaire, but for Michelle -- the good fight doesn't stop there. In her spare time, she is a volunteer firefighter -- and now, she is tackling the issues and cases that mean the most to her....
