Fedora Bandit Hits Two More Banks; Total Now Six

The “Fedora” bandit has struck again. With two more robberies during the past two weeks his total now stands at six in just over a four-month period. The last two robberies occurred on April 14, 2010, at the Bank of the West, 2976 North Carson Street, Carson City, Nevada, and on April 26, 2010, at the Bank of the West, 34 E. Gridley Road, Gridley, California. All of the robberies have been Bank of the West branch locations.

The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 40 - 50 years old, with gray or salt and pepper gray hair. He is 5’ 9” inches to 6’ tall and has a slim build.

As part of his disguise he wears a fedora type hat and a fake goatee leading authorities to nickname him the “Fake-Bearded Fedora Bandit.” In each of the robberies he has displayed a handgun and typically uses a black, eco-friendly type bag commonly found at many super-markets for his loot. The bag has straps and unidentified green writing on it.

The spree started late last year in Grass Valley with a December 22 robbery of the Bank of the West, 736 Taylorville Road, and continued with the February 18 robbery of the Bank of the West, 2160 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, and the March 8 robbery of the Bank of the West, 200 Bear Street in Kings Beach. He struck the same location in Grass Valley a second time on March 31.

In all of the robberies the suspect approached the teller counter and made verbal demands for money. In at least one of the robberies he made an attempt to disguise his voice by speaking with clenched teeth. As he approached the teller counter during the March 31 robbery he told the teller “here we go again.”

Surveillance photos from the past two robberies indicate the suspect wore a bright green jacket, a light colored mock turtle-neck shirt, black pants, black shoes and black sunglasses. In previous robberies he has also worn black gloves.

These robberies are being investigated by the Grass Valley Police Department, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, the Placer County Sheriff’s Department, the Gridley-Biggs Police Department, the Carson City Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.

Surveillance photographs are attached and anyone with information regarding this robbery is asked to contact the FBI in Sacramento at (916) 481-9110, the Grass Valley Police Department at (530) 477-4600, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department at (530) 542-6100, the Gridley-Biggs Police Department at (530) 846-5670, the Carson City Sheriff’s Office at (775) 887-2009, the Reno FBI at (775) 825-6600 or the Placer County Sheriff’s Department at (530) 581-6330.

A reward of up to $4,000 has been offered by Bank of the West for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the above referenced robberies. If you wish to remain anonymous you may also call the Placer County Crime Stoppers hot line at 1-800-923-8191. Any tip leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for these robberies is eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00 from Crime Stoppers.