L.A. bank robber wears Richard Nixon mask

The FBI is searching for a man who wore a mask of Richard Nixon when he robbed two banks in Encino.

According to the FBI, the so-called Ex-President Bandit hit a Santa Barbara Bank & Trust on Dec. 2 and a branch of U.S. Bank on Nov. 25.

The robber may be taking a page from the movie "Point Break," in which bank robbers wore masks of Nixon, Ronald Reagan and other former presidents to rob banks in the Los Angeles area.

The suspect was described as calm, wearing dark clothes and brandishing a handgun. No one was hurt in either of the robberies.

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: A video clip of the Ex-President Bandit in Encino. Credit: FBI

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Comments

[PC BS]

The word gunman is clearly biased against males and should be replaced by gunperson, shooter or pistolier.

[Pedro Doe]

It does not suprise me at all, Nixon was a "crook" was he was alive! And now, he is still a crook in his reincarnated life. ONce a crook, always a crook! (lol)

[Scott]

Looks more like Jimmy Carter in the photo...

[HONEYMAN]

"I AM a crook!"

[KB]

"I am an FBI agent"
-Johnny Utah

[janejoad]

HaHa......why not? Reaganomics has brought us to this place, what could be more fitting? It's hard times for alot of people. Wasn't it the Great Depression that created the Bonnie and Clydes, Dillinger et al.? Frankly I'm more concerned with the number of psychopathic killers on the loose, along with the indiscriminate scofflaws on our highways, the arrogant driver with the 2-ton weapon. I still see them driving and talking on cell phones and texting. Who's worse? The bank robber or them? The bank robber may be desparate, which is understanable, the careless driver however, is just that, CARELESS and he WILL kill you without trying very hard. I'd rather use my tax dollars to get these pernicious creatures of the road.

[Bill in Tennessee]

Looks more like Jimmy Carter and acts a lot more like Obama. "Gimme your healthcare and no one gets hurt!"

[Carlos]

yeah that's totally Jimmy Carter.

[Polomoche]

Step 1: Identify exact version of Nixon mask, manufacturer, year issued, etc. and then comb records of everyone who purchased it. Step 2: Of this pool, identify those with recent rentals or purchases of "Point Break". Case closed. Your suspect should be male, surfer, mid to late 20's, smokes a lot of pot.

[Chris]

+1 Definitely Carter. *sigh*, what a country we live in, where eyewitnesses cant even identify past Presidents.

[michael]

If this guy REALLY wants to rob banks, he should go to work on Wall Street.

[michael]

If this guy REALLY wants to rob banks, he should go to work on Wall Street.

[August Spillers]

You have to look for a tribe within a tribe...Reagan usually does the driving. Stolen switch car. They leave it running... on the curb. It looks parked from the distance. When they run they dump the vehicle and they vanish... like a virgin on prom night. I mean they vanish, swishh...

[NeRvOuS]

Yup ... that's a Jimmy Carter Mask

[Sandra]

Pretty bad if the FBI is saying "Nixon"???? I'm pretty observant when I go into buildings so.... no one noiticed this guy coming into the bank with a mask and gloves on??? Pathetic. Why are some banks protected with bullet proof glass and some not?

[Big Paulie the Coach]

looks more like a tip o'neil mask

[RainyDays]

I don't think I remember them smoking pot in the movie "Point Break". Second, most good surfers don't smoke pot. When you ride waves, that is your drug and you don't need any other drugs. And third, no pothead is going to be motivated enough to go buy a mask and rob a bank. He's probably sitting on his couch eating potato chips, and watching Jerry Springer. You're comment was irresponsible Polomache.

[David]

You're both wrong. Doesn't anyone know John McCain when they see him? Jeeez.

[cjp]

Or maybe it's a nod to "Cockfighter," you know, the movie "Point Break" stole that bit from?

[TheAtian]

Why would they mention that horrible movie?

[j]

polomoche step 1. stop acting like you know everything. step 2. thats why your not in the government step 3. they cant do all that because hes not worth the money, it will take more money to do what you said over somone who didnt hurt anyone and probably stole LESS than how much it would take to find him and prosecute him.

[Jake Orlando]

No, it's a nod to Richard Nixon masks.

[Katy]

Why assume it's a reference to a movie? Seems to me it's a reference to Nixon debasing the currency in 1971.

[jp]

i think its great? the banks rip us off . with all the loans, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer Bail out the banks? it should have been Bail out the people!!!

[Umm]

I guess I'll put in an application for the FBI, because that is sooooo Jimmy Carter and not Richard Nixon!

Either the lighting on this picture is really bad, or Nixon went through a "Slim Shady" period that none of us knew about...