| Cymbal Man Freq. 2004-10-31, 4:06 am |
| Police arrest man suspected of robbing 26 banks in LA County
Sunday October 31, 2004
TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) A man suspected of robbing 26 banks in Los Angeles County
since his release from federal prison earlier this year has been arrested,
officials said.
David Lee Robinson, 53, was taken into custody Saturday after police matched him
with a suspect description and stopped his car in Torrance, finding evidence of
previous bank heists such as partial demand notes.
Robinson allegedly took more than $70,000 in a series of holdups since Aug. 19.
The robber became known as the ``Dreadlock Bandit'' for his hairstyle.
``He was robbing every other day,'' said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.
Officials said witnesses had described the ``Dreadlock Bandit'' as polite and
friendly during holdups.
Robinson had served 14 years in prison for nearly 30 other robberies. During the
1980s, he was known as the ``Money or Die'' robber for threatening bank tellers,
Eimiller said.
Police also arrested an alleged accomplice, Rasheeda Salaam Gaines, 29, of Los
Angeles. Gaines was booked for investigation of robbery and possessing drug
paraphernalia.
Robinson was held without bail while Gaines' bail was set at $100,000.
Torrance is about 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.
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