‘Geezer Bandit’ wreaks havoc in California

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Known as the ‘Geezer Bandit,’ a bank-robbing old man in California has won the hearts of thousands, reports the Washington Times.

Photographs of his wrinkled face taken from surveillance video cameras have been printed on T-shirts and mugs, and his Facebook page has thousands of fans. But authorities say he is armed and dangerous, and his bank-robbing spree is no laughing matter.

Still, his popularity grows with every heist, with comments such as “Run Geezer Run” appearing on one of the many Facebook pages set up in honor of the aging crook. According to David Halle, a Sociology professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, fascination with bank robbers goes back a long way in this country, and this reaction is not surprising given the current economic crisis.

“There is a long tradition of not liking banks in the U.S.,” he told the Washington Times. “They have been unpopular for ages, and now they are unpopular again for obvious reasons. [The ‘Geezer Bandit’] is not robbing old ladies.”

Although there is some speculation that the robber could be a younger man wearing a disguise, the FBI says it is still looking for an old man, not a young man with a mask.

If his old-timer status is genuine, the ‘Geezer Bandit’ will join a short but prominent list of other recent senior crooks, including the ‘Golden Years Bandit,’ the ‘Baby Boomer Bandit,’ and the ‘Grandma Bandit.’