Looks like the prolific “Grandad Bandit”, suspected of at least 25 bank robberies in 13 states in less than two years, is retiring involuntarily — and not to Florida to enjoy the early bird specials.
The FBI said agents arrested the bandit, aka Michael Francis Mara, 52, of Baton Rouge, La., in Baton Rouge on Wednesday following a stand off for hours.
Maria Glod of the Washington Post reported that agents and local police had surrounded a home in Baton Rouge Wednesday morning, and that Mara had a weapon and threatened to harm himself. But he peacefully surrendered by around 4:30 p.m.
“A tip to the FBI made today’s arrest possible,” said U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride of Alexandria.
Michael Morehart, special agent in charge of the Richmond office, said in a statement : “This arrest would not have been possible without the assistance of civic-minded citizens and the publicity provided by radio stations and print media and the coordination of digital billboards by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.”
Authorities said Mara “would enter a bank without a disguise, patiently wait in line, and then present a demand note to a bank teller. Once the demands were met, Mara allegedly would retrieve the demand note and exit the bank quietly.”
