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Pastimes : Clown-Free Zone... sorry, no clowns allowed -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: patron_anejo_por_favor who wrote (253058)	7/30/2003 12:58:57 PM
From: MythMan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 436258

LOL it wasn't me.

To: patron_anejo_por_favor who wrote (253058)	7/30/2003 1:00:04 PM
From: ild	Respond to of 436258

Reward Offered for Robber Who Poses as Agent The 'Impersonator Bandit' has taken more than $100,000 from two banks by pretending to be with the FBI and using a fake bomb. By Holly J. Wolcott, Times Staff Writer A man posing as an FBI agent — sporting the requisite dark blue suit, belt-clipped badge and "FBI" business cards — has robbed two banks in California and Arizona of more than $100,000 in cash and recently attempted to hold up a third on busy State Street in Santa Barbara. The robber, possibly a former banking industry employee, has been dubbed the "Impersonator Bandit" by federal authorities, who announced a $70,000 reward this week for information leading to his capture. "This guy seems to have a great thrill in duping law enforcement and duping the banking system into thinking he is in law enforcement," said FBI Special Agent Leane Blevins. Considered armed and dangerous, the robber has a method of operation — described as highly sophisticated — that involves first gaining the trust of bank officials by claiming to be an FBI agent, authorities said. During the holdup, the robber handcuffs the bank manager to a small metal box, orders him or her to open a vault, and declares that he can detonate "the device," actually a phony bomb, from up to 20 miles away. "We've had bank robbers pose as agents before, but this guy's got a pretty complicated scheme," said Dan Bodony, a Los Angeles special agent in charge of bank robbery investigations in Southern California. The holdups started in Anaheim when the robber went to four Wells Fargo branches on April 30 and introduced himself to branch managers, claiming he wanted to share information about bank robberies in the area and discuss security procedures. A day later, on May 1, the robber returned to an Anaheim Wells Fargo branch on South Harbor Boulevard about noon. A familiar face, he was escorted to the branch manager's office, where he cuffed the woman to the metal box before cleaning out a safe and fleeing. A month later at a Wells Fargo branch on North Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale, Ariz., the robber did the same thing. On July 11, the robber tried a new bank, federal authorities said. He went into a branch of the First Bank & Trust on State Street in Santa Barbara. Frustrated by a bank manager who wouldn't immediately meet with him, the robber left. Suspicious, the bank manger called FBI agents, who set up surveillance, Blevins said. But the man never returned. The robber is described as white, 6-feet-2 to 6-feet-4, about 250 pounds and possibly wearing a dark, grayish wig. He is in his late 30s to early 50s. Anyone with information that leads to his arrest and prosecution could receive $70,000 by calling federal authorities at (310) 477-6565 or (805) 677-7357. latimes.com