Local News in Brief : Big Brush Bandit Suspect Arrested
A man believed to be the so-called Big Brush Bandit, linked to 19 armed bank holdups in Southern California, was arrested by police who spotted him on a Whittier street, authorities said Tuesday.
John Silva Jr., 32, of Whittier was identified by a television viewer who saw a broadcast last week of a bank surveillance photograph of the suspect, FBI spokesman Fred Reagan said. The viewer then called the FBI and provided it with Silva’s identity and hometown.
Following the information provided by the FBI, Los Angeles police arrested Silva about 6:30 p.m. Monday after he was seen walking down a street, Detective John Licata said.
Dubbed the Big Brush Bandit for his thick, bushy mustache, the suspect would usually throw a cloth bag to bank tellers, pull out a handgun, cock it and force them to fill the bag with money, the FBI said. He is suspected of committing 19 bank robberies from May 25 through Nov. 1.
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