'Grandad Bandit' wanted for robbing 21 banks in 12 states

The FBI has dubbed the elusive bank robber, who is described as bald, heavyset, and between 50 and 60 years old, as the 'Granddad Bandit' and is offering a $10,000 reward for a tip leading to his arrest and conviction.

A bald, heavyset man who has robbed 21 banks in the eastern and central U.S. is proving to be so elusive that the FBI has given him a name — the "Granddad Bandit" — and the agency announced plans Tuesday to post a digital picture of him on billboards in several states in hopes of catching him.

The man, who is believed to be 50 to 60 years old, is suspected in 21 bank robberies in 12 states, the most recent on May 18 at a Regions Bank branch in St. Louis County, the FBI said.

To catch him, the FBI has partnered with outdoor advertisers on a digital billboard campaign displaying a surveillance picture of the robber.

The FBI describes the suspect as about 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall, white, bald and heavy. Along with Missouri, he is wanted in: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Florida, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia.

"It's not that the individual can't be caught," agent Zack Lowe said of the robber who has so far escaped capture for a year-and-a-half. "The right person hasn't seen this picture yet. He has to sleep somewhere. He has to eat somewhere. He has family somewhere."

The suspected robber began his crime spree with a robbery in Mobile, Alabama, on Jan. 16, 2009, the FBI said. The agency believes he has struck three times in Atlanta and twice in Mobile. Officials say he has robbed four banks overall in Alabama, four in Georgia, three in Texas, two in Arkansas and one each in the other states.

Sometimes, the man claims to be armed. Other times, such as in the St. Louis County robbery, he doesn't show or imply a weapon. Agents say his holdups are calm and deliberate, apparently aimed at not attracting attention to himself. He tends to wear nondescript clothing such as a ballcap and a polo-type shirt.

Though the man has been dubbed the "Granddad Bandit," not much information is known about him including if he has grandchildren. Lowe said the FBI typically assigns a name to serial bank robbers, in this case the "Granddad Bandit," to help other law enforcement officers and the public have a reference point when talking about a specific criminal.

Lamar Outdoor Advertising General Manager Chris Kirn said the man's picture will be displayed on 25 billboards in Missouri along with billboards in several other states where robberies have occurred.

The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for the tip leading to the arrest and conviction of the "Granddad Bandit." The anti-crime group CrimeStoppers also is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to a felony arrest.

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