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WANTED: FBI offers $100,000 reward for AK-47 Bandit (bonus audio)
Surveillance pictures of the AK-Bandit on Wednesday, February 29, 2012, robbing the California Bank & Trust on the 5400 block of Riverside Drive in Chino, California. Investigators say he’s been using a Nissan Maxima as his getaway car.
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Chino Police Deparment
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UPDATE: 1/17/13: 6p.m.
The FBI has teamed up with the non-profit organization SignUp LA to place digital billboard wanted ads for the AK-47 bandit throught out the Los Angeles area hopin someone might recognize him.
PREVIOUSLY:
The FBI Wednesday announced a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the so-called "AK-47 Bandit."
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The suspect is described as a stocky 200-pound white man, around 6 feet tall, with bright blue eyes. Last February, he shot and wounded a Chino police officer with what appeared to be an AK-47 assault rifle after robbing a bank.
FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said the bandit has since been linked to robberies in Northern California and other states.
“The next robbery was up in Vacaville,” Eimiller explained. There was also an attempted robbery in Sacramento, followed by a bank robbery in North Bend in Washington state. The most recent robbery occurred in Rexburg, Idaho. That was on Nov. 7, 2012.
Prior to the bank robbery in Chino, a threat was called into the 911 dispatch center from a payphone in the vicinity of the bank by a man. Eimiller said that may have been the AK-47 suspect calling to create a diversion. Here’s the audio:
Eimiller said the AK-47 Bandit is considered heavily armed and dangerous, “and we’re very concerned that somebody will get killed.”
Investigators say he’s been using a Nissan Maxima as his getaway car.
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Anybody with information on the suspect can call 1-855-9-BANDIT or send an email to bandit@chinopd.org.
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