SHERMAN OAKS — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is asking for the public’s help in finding a bank robber who struck in the San Fernando Valley again on December 4.
Together with the Los Angeles Police Department, the FBI is trying to identify the suspect known as the “Valley Bandit,” who has so far been responsible for nine bank robberies since December 2012. According to the FBI, the robber usually wears dark clothing coupled with a dark-colored baseball cap as he enters the bank. After asking for a withdrawal, the Bandit then pulls out a weapon, usually a revolver, before demanding money of various denominations. He also threatens to kill other customers if the teller refuses to comply with his demands.
The Valley Bandit has also been associated with several vehicles, including a black Mercedes Benz SUV and a white Mercedes Benz sedan. Investigators do suspect that they may be working with a getaway driver. The description of the robber indicates that he may either be Hispanic or Middle Eastern, standing between 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing between 180 and 200 pounds. He is believed to be between the ages of 25 and 35.
The bank robberies that have been linked to the Valley Bandit have all taken place in the San Fernando Valley, with the most recent on December 4 at a Wells Fargo in West Hills. A Chase Bank was also robbed on September 28 in Sherman Oaks.
The FBI urges anyone with any information pertaining to the Valley Bandit or the robberies he has been involved in to call their nearest FBI division, the LAPD, or 911.
