Alleged ‘Button-Down Bandit’ pleads not guilty to bank robberies
A man suspected of being the so-called Button-Down Bandit pleaded not guilty Thursday to multiple counts of robbery related to a string of bank heists in Southern California.
David Michael Younger, 49, pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of evading officers in San Bernardino County Superior Court. He was arrested in Montclair on Wednesday, two days after allegedly robbing a Pacific Western Bank in Redlands.
Younger is suspected in five other robberies across the Southland since Nov. 15.
Shortly after 12:30 p.m. on Monday, a man in the trademark attire of a button-down shirt entered the Pacific Western Bank at 218 E. State Street and passed a note to the teller demanding cash.
He left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money and fled in a silver Mercedes-Benz SUV, according to authorities.
Witnesses provided the car’s license plate number, whichauthorities traced to a Hertz rental vehicle associated with Younger.
On Wednesday, after attempting to contact Younger via telephone, Redlands and Montclair police went to a residence where he was known to be. But Younger saw the officers as he approached the residence in his car and allegedly attempted to flee.
The pursuit ended in the 600 block of West La Deney Street and Younger was taken into custody.
He remains in the West Valley Detention Center in lieu of $1 million bail.
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Twitter: @James_Barragan
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