“Bad Hair Bandit” Suspected in Lake Oswego Bank Robbery

Reward Climbs up to $10,000

A woman dubbed the “Bad Hair Bandit,” wanted in connection as many as 18 bank robberies or attempted robberies in Washington, is now suspected in a Friday afternoon robbery at Key Bank in Lake Oswego. A woman walked into the bank, located at 256 “A” Avenue, at 12:23 p.m. today. She approached a teller, demanded cash, got an undisclosed amount of cash, and left the bank on foot. She did threaten that she had a weapon, but none was seen.

The Oregon Financial Institutions Security Task Force (FIST) has offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the woman responsible for today’s robbery. This is in addition to another reward issued in Washington for the Bad Hair Bandit: a reward of up to $5,000 by Tacoma/Pierce County Crime Stoppers and Wells Fargo.

Witnesses describe today’s suspect as:

White female

Age: 20 - 30 years old

Height: 5’6” - 5’7”

Weight/Build:150 pounds

Hair: Short, dark wig

Clothing: Polo-type shirt with red, white, and blue stripes

This description is very similar to those for the Bad Hair Bandit. More information on the Bad Hair Bandit, including a series of photos from previous robberies, can be found on the FBI’s website at http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/unknown.

Anyone with information on the identification or location of today’s bank robber is asked to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or the Lake Oswego Police Department at (503) 635-0328. If you spot the suspect, do not approach her but do call 911.

Oregon FIST is a cooperative effort made up of representatives from banks, savings and loans, and credit unions, as well as representatives from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The purpose of FIST is to help reduce crimes.