GLENDALE : Bank Robber Suspect Rejects Plea Bargain
A man accused in 30 armed robberies and known to police as the “Old Man Bandit” has refused a prosecutor’s offer to forgo a trial and spend 40 years in prison.
Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of up to 60 years for Edwin Loftus, 60, of Glendale, who is believed to be responsible for a string of holdups outside banks in Glendale and the San Fernando Valley from 1989 to 1993.
In the crimes, merchants en route to make large deposits said they were approached by a well-dressed, grandfatherly man who demanded cash. Police believe Loftus used a police scanner to avoid being caught.
Loftus is scheduled for an Aug. 18 pretrial conference in Los Angeles Superior Court, and another plea bargain may be offered at that time, prosecutors said. His trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 1.
Loftus was arrested by Glendale police in April, 1993 after a high-speed chase that ended in the Los Feliz area.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
