April 22, 2011 – Police Shoot Out Caught On Tape
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:”
August 28, 2009 – US Bank
9643 Mission Gorge Rd., Santee
September 12, 2009- San Diego National Bank
7877 Ivanhoe, La Jolla
FBI ATLANTA PHOTO
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:
A serial bank robber dubbed the “grandpa bandit” is holding up banks throughout Oregon. The fist hold up occurred back in October, and since then the FBI says the unknown man has struck six times. The FBI says the “grandpa bandit” struck as recently as last week at the Bank of America in Medford, where he showed a teller a gun. Agents say it does not appear he had a weapon in the previous robberies. The FBI will not say exactly how much money he’s gotten away with, but they are offering $15,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. The suspect is described as 5′8″ to-5′10″, weighing 160-180 pounds and having gray hair. If you have any information, please contact:
(541) 773-2942
Arcade Joseph Comeaux - Armed and Dangerous
Arcade Joseph Comeaux was housed in the highest level of custody inside the Estelle Unit in Huntsville, Texas. This means he did not have contact with other prisoners, and is secluded inside his cell 23 out of 24 hours a day, so the question is how did he get a gun? That is exactly what investigators are trying to figure out as they piece together Comeaux’s daring escape and track down this dangerous criminal. Officials say Comeaux gained access to a pistol, held up two officers, and fled.
On Monday, November 30, 2009, officials say Comeaux took two transport officers from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice hostage with a gun. Officials say Comeaux was being transported from one facility to another at 4:45 a.m. when he brandished a pistol and ordered the officers to drive south to Baytown, Texas. He was apparently shackled, sitting in his wheelchair at the time, and he even fired the weapon once in the van. Officials say when they arrived in Baytown at the parking lot of an abandoned hospital, Comeaux handcuffed the officers together, stole one of their uniforms, and put men in the back of the van. For some reason Comeaux left his pistol behind, but was able to snatch the other officers weapons (12-gague shotgun and two semiautomatic pistols). Thankfully the officers were found unharmed. Officials say they will conduct a serious incident review to determine how Comeaux was able to obtain a firearm inside of their facility.
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....
