“H1N1 Bandit” Arrested

On Thursday, February 25, 2010, at approximately 1:53 p.m., the Aurora Police Department and the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force responded to an attempted bank robbery of the Key Bank, 4090 S. Parker Road in Aurora, Colorado. The robber was wearing a long black trench coat and black watch cap.

Later the same day, Denver Police Officers from District 3 contacted a man in the 120 block of North Garfield Street in Denver. The Denver Officers found the man wearing a black trench coat and a black watch cap.

Upon investigation, the Denver Officers determined the man was armed with a shotgun under his trench coat and possessed a robbery demand note in his coat pocket. Responding agents from the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force identified the man as the robber from the attempted bank robbery earlier in Aurora.

The investigation has determined that ARTHUR DEWEY BITTNER, 52 years of age, DOB 08-19-1957, may be the "H1N1 Bandit" responsible for a series of bank robberies. BITTNER was arrested and jailed in the Denver City Jail. He will be charged with bank robbery and will appear before a United States Magistrate Judge for an initial appearance. The H1N1 Bandit is responsible for three bank robberies and two attempted bank robberies, which are listed below:

• 12/10/2009, Wells Fargo Bank at 2500 E 2nd Ave in Denver

• 12/16/2009, U.S. Bank at 444 17th Street in Denver

• 12/30/2009, Key Bank at 3000 S Peoria Street in Aurora

• 02/19/2010, Vectra Bank at 401 E. Speer Blvd in Denver (attempted bank robbery)

• 02/25/2010, Key Bank at 4090 S. Parker Rd in Aurora (attempted bank robbery)

No photographs will be released.

Bank robbery is punishable by a 20-year prison sentence for each offense and increases if a dangerous weapon is used in the commission of the crime.

The FBI continues to provide financial institutions with the best practices for security to make them less vulnerable to robberies.

If anyone has any information on these bank robberies, or any bank robbery, please call the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force at 303-629-7171, or you can remain anonymous and earn up to two thousand dollars ($2,000) by calling CRIMESTOPPERS at 720-913-STOP (7867).