Countywide : Police, FBI Seeking ‘Tina Turner Bandit’

A man dubbed the “Tina Turner bandit” is being sought by police and the FBI in connection with a string of recent bank robberies in Orange and San Diego counties.

The man, who was armed with a handgun in each of the robberies, was nicknamed after the popular singer because of a wig he donned during some of the crimes, said John Meiter, an investigator with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

The suspect is described by police as a white male, 25 to 35 years old, about 6 feet tall and of medium build. In one photograph supplied by the FBI, the suspect is pictured striding through a bank wearing a wig that resembles Turner’s hair, though he uses other disguises as well, officers said.

The first robbery occurred on July 3 at Security Pacific Bank, 2880 N. Main St. in Santa Ana. The man walked into the bank wearing what police described as “an Abraham Lincoln beard” and sunglasses. Once inside he handed a teller a note with instructions to place money into a blue nylon bag, Meiter said.

Three days later the same man, police believe, robbed the Security Pacific Bank at 16811 Algonquin St. in Huntington Beach. This time, the suspect fired a shot into the front window of the bank before handing the teller a note demanding money. During that robbery, the suspect wore a closely cropped beard and floppy hat and instructed the teller to put the money in what appeared to be the same bag used in the earlier robbery.

The Tina Turner wig made its first appearance on July 17 at a Security Pacific Bank in San Diego.

“In this robbery, he changed his method drastically,” Meiter said. “He took off the beard, put on a fake mustache and put on the wig.”

For the fourth robbery, the suspect returned to Orange County, police said, holding up the Union Bank at 31971 Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. The robber again appeared in Tina Turner garb, and after walking into the bank immediately fired two shots into the ceiling before demanding money.

Although police are seeking the public’s help in locating the suspect, Meiter said people should not attempt to capture him.

“We don’t want citizens chasing after this guy,” Meiter said. “He has already fired shots so there’s a propensity towards violence.”

No one was hurt in the robberies and police declined to say how much money was taken from the banks. Anyone with information about the robberies can contact the FBI at (714) 542-8825 or (800) 442-2244.