‘Bad Tooth Bandit’ Convicted in Robberies
A Glendale man has been convicted of committing a string of holdups last year after his victims identified him by his bad teeth.
Van Nuys Superior Court jurors on Monday found Jack Leroy Scruggs, 39, guilty of 22 counts of robbery, but acquitted him on four other robbery counts and one count of attempted robbery because they did not believe that witnesses identified him thoroughly enough, Deputy Dist. Atty. Carole Chizever said.
Scruggs, dubbed the “Bad Tooth Bandit” by prosecutors because of his rotting teeth, was arrested in September, 1989, after a seven-month robbery spree that targeted small shops and restaurants around the San Fernando Valley.
Investigators said Scruggs showed clerks a gun tucked into his waistband and demanded money before walking casually away. Chizever said she could not estimate the amount of money Scruggs stole. No one was injured in any of the robberies.
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