An elderly man who robbed the Goleta Bank of America at gunpoint on Friday night is believed responsible for 12 other bank robberies in California since 2009.

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff Department, an aging robber entered the BofA building on the 5800 block of Calle Real around 5:52 p.m. and handed a teller a note demanding money before quickly exiting through the rear entrance. On Saturday the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced that the suspect, described to be over 65 years old and carrying a handgun, was likely the man they call the “Geezer Bandit”.

Previous reports of the Geezer describe him as a white male aged 60 to 70 years who stands between 5’10” and 6’0” tall and weighs about 200 pounds. According an advisory from the FBI’s San Diego bureau, the “Geezer Bandit” is believed responsible for robbing 12 banks in the state since August 2009, beginning with a U.S. Bank branch in Santee, CA. Prior to Friday’s robbery of the Goleta BofA branch, the Geezer was linked to the robbery of a BofA in Bakersfield, Calif. on Nov. 12, 2010.

FBI reports indicate that the suspect may have been using a Halloween-style ‘old-man’ mask in the Bakersfield robbery, although no details confirm the Goleta robber was wearing a mask on Friday. The suspect was wearing a dark sports coat, slacks, a hat and black dress shoes, which fits most prior descriptions of the Geezer’s attire.

County detectives continue to search for the suspect, who received an unknown amount of money from the teller before escaping. Detectives do not know what direction the suspect exited the Goleta BofA. No injuries were reported during the robbery.

In December 2010, the FBI and several banks in San Diego County offered a combined reward of $20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the ‘Geezer Bandit’. The FBI San Diego bureau can be reached at (858) 499-7810.

People may contact the Sheriff’s Anonymous Tip Line at (805) 681-4171 with information on the suspect.

PRESS RELEASE:

Reward of $20,000 Offered in “Geezer Bandit” Investigation

The FBI, San Diego Police Department, San Diego Sheriff’s Department and several other law enforcement agencies are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the unknown male bank robber dubbed the “Geezer Bandit.” The “Geezer Bandit” is believed to be responsible for robbing 12 banks since August 2009. The FBI and several local banks are offering a combined reward of $20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the “Geezer Bandit.”

The 12th bank robbery in the “Geezer Bandit” series is believed to have occurred on Friday, November 12, 2010, with the robbery of the Bank of America, located at 4480 Coffee Road, Bakersfield, California.

According to the Bakersfield Police Department, on Friday, November 12, 2010, at approximately 6:00 p.m., an unknown male armed with a handgun entered the Bank of America, located at 4480 Coffee Road, Bakersfield, California. The suspect confronted one of the tellers and made a verbal demand for money. After receiving a sum of money, the suspect left the bank on foot. A witness described the suspect as wearing a Halloween-style “old man” mask, white fedora-style hat, black sports coat, gray slacks, and black dress shoes and armed with a handgun.

Witnesses from previous robberies have described the “Geezer Bandit” as follows:

Sex: Male
Race: White
Age: 60 – 70 years old
Height: Approximately 5’10” to 6’0” tall
Weight: Approximately 190 to 200 lbs.
Build: Average
Clothing: Navy-colored blazer, navy or black-colored baseball cap, and dark-colored pants
Weapon: Revolver pistol