‘Underwear Bandit’ Sentenced to 15 Years

The so--called “underwear bandit,” who admitted a series of crimes in Los Angeles County and is suspected of a string of robberies in Orange County, was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison.

Bruce Allen Lyons, 33, of Moreno Valley, an unemployed bus driver, earned the nickname after authorities learned that he made a number of female employees of the stores he robbed take off their underwear.

Lyons was arrested Oct. 23 in connection with robberies that took place in September and October. He pleaded no contest Dec. 19 to 23 counts of robbery, four counts of sexual battery, two counts of lewd conduct and one count of assault with intent to commit rape, all in Los Angeles County.

He was sentenced here Monday by Superior Court Judge Richard F. Charvat.

Lyons also faces similar felony counts in Orange County in connection with robberies in Seal Beach, Anaheim, Garden Grove, Fullerton, Orange and Santa Ana.

In some cases, the suspect put their panties on his head and masturbated in front of female clerks after robbing them of money, according to Al Albergate, a spokesman in the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Lyons was arrested after a robbery at a Baskin-Robbins store in Rowland Heights. Police found 10 pairs of panties in his car, along with a Baskin-Robbins bag containing $335 and a toy replica of a Colt .45 handgun.