Police catch ‘Dreaded Bandit’ suspect after a series of bank robberies in San Francisco

The suspect had a strange description: a 6-foot man wearing white face paint, a wig with dreadlocks, a fake beard and a hat.

Beginning in April, the man robbed a bank about once a month at various locations around San Francisco, usually taking over the register at gunpoint and directing employees and customers to the vault area, where he would nab a large stack of cash.

Authorities dubbed him the “Dreaded Bandit” because of the locks that fell from his cap.

But the streak of robberies appears to have ended. Last week, San Francisco police on Aug. 12 arrested Andre Mitchell Brown, 57, moments before he stepped into a bank in the 5400 block of Geary Boulevard.

He was wearing a wig, fake beard, sunglasses and gloves, police said. Officers also found a loaded revolver in Brown’s possession.

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Brown recently was released from prison after serving 27 years, according to the police. He was a parolee on active federal probation for armed bank robbery.

Javier Jenkins, 44, whom police say was the getaway driver in the latest bank heist attempt, also was arrested. He was booked at San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of felony conspiracy and attempted robbery, police said.

Brown was booked at San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of attempted robbery, conspiracy, carrying a concealed firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm with the intent to commit a felony.

The FBI said the Dreaded Bandit stole from banks on April 22, May 12, June 23 and July 11. In all four robberies, an undisclosed amount of money was taken from each bank.

San Francisco police said they are working with the FBI to solve other bank robberies that may be linked to Brown.

sarah.parvini@latimes.com

For more local and breaking news follow me on Twitter: @sarahparvini

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