The Geezer Bandit

By Caitlin Rother

A bank robber dubbed the “Geezer Bandit” has robbed 10 banks in San Diego County and one in neighboring Riverside County since August 2009, garnering a following that is spreading nationwide, with thousands of fans on FaceBook.

Witnesses have described the robber as 60 to 70 years old, about six feet tall and 190 pounds. However, some are not sure if he’s truly a senior citizen, or simply wearing a clever disguise. From what I can see in the grainy bank surveillance videos and still shots, the skin on his hands, his build and the wrinkles on his face don’t seem to match age-wise, so my hunch is it’s the latter.

But what’s more interesting to me is the support and encouragement people are giving this guy, whose MO is to hand the teller a demand note and pull a small caliber pistol from a leather case, which he threatens to use if the teller doesn’t comply with his demands.

Now, the newspaper always runs those little news briefs about people robbing banks, each of whom the FBI traditionally gives a nickname. It’s just that most of them don’t make headlines or cocktail conversation, let alone inspire two FaceBook pages to be established in their honor, reminiscent of Bonnie and Clyde.

If you ask me, this guy’s notoriety is being fueled by a general widespread anger at the federal government over its inability to end this frustratingly endless recession, and more specifically, at the multi-billion-dollar bank bailout, which doesn’t seem to be having the intended trickle-down effect. People are frustrated – enough to root for a bank robber.

Regardless of whether you blame the government for not fixing the recession, this lingering economic dump we’re in is hitting most everyone I know, and how many of us wouldn’t like to have a sudden influx of free money right now? Well, IMHO, that voyeuristic envy is the source of the Geezer’s popularity, even if people wouldn’t actually rob a bank themselves.

This view is borne out in a quote from one of his FB fans:

“I have always said... Can you see me, a grandma of three, robbing a bank or others? I don't have the nerve or the guts do that but seeing this old man doing it I just might be able to do it also. But NO worries, just thinking, NOT actually will do it.. :)”

Others blast the government, both on FB pages and on various news web sites:

“Evidently our lame ass DOJ does not give a shit about all the people that were put out of work, all the people that have lost their houses, or all the people who have lost all of their retirement savings! If the DOJ will not prosecute the BANKSTERS and Wall Street FRAUD, then they should suffer a MILLION – OLDMAN SACKS!!!!”

“Blame Obama. Old man probably can't afford his medications, food or rent.”

“Go geezer go! It's about damn time someone got some of that bailout money back from those greedy pigs who (f-ed) our economy & left the rest of us struggling, & helped cause us to lose our jobs & homes, etc... While they continue to line their pockets w/our money! U are a true american hero!!! We're rooting 4 u!”

Among those who write comments or status updates, opponents, like this one, are in the minority:

“They should be the Sh-t out of him if they find him. I'm not gonna feel sorry for elderly like this one. No one knows what he used to do in his younger days, maybe he was a bad criminal back in the days, so beat the sh-t out of him.”

Some folks are simply having some fun with the story, which, you have to admit, does have its noir appeal. Others are curious about how he keeps getting away with it, and still others, (including me), want to find out whether he’s truly an old guy or whether he’s a young guy with a great Hollywood makeup job:

“Actually, I believe it's the master of disguise, Eddie Murphy. He hasn't made a movie in a while and things are tight for him right now.”

“I love you grandpa, thanks for the presents :)”

The bottom line is, this guy seems to be making a good living at this because he hasn’t been caught, and the FBI’s San Diego office is asking the public for help in identifying him. In fact, he’s been doing so well, he even has a copy cat now. (See Geezer photo on the left above, copy cat on the right.)

The day after the Geezer’s most recent robbery at a Bank of America in Temecula on June 24, his first outside San Diego County, a man wearing an “old man” mask, baseball cap and surgical gloves, robbed a BofA in the Sorrento Mesa neighborhood of San Diego.

And by the way, the copy cat got away with the loot, too.

To watch a news clip with bank surveillance video of the Geezer, click here.

Caitlin Rother, a Pulitzer-nominee who worked as a investigative newspaper reporter for nearly 20 years, is the author of four books, Body Parts, Twisted Triangle, Naked Addiction, and Poisoned Love, and is the co-author of Where Hope Begins. Her next book, Dead Reckoning, the story behind the murder of Tom and Jackie Hawks by Skylar Deleon and his clan of outlaws, including his wife, Jennifer, will be out in February 2011. For more information about Caitlin Rother, check out her Web site, caitlinrother.com.