July 02, 2016
Federal Bureau of Investigation/for PhillyVoice
The serial bank robber dubbed the "Straw Hat Bandit" by law enforcement.
A man who authorities believe to be a serial bank robber known as the "Straw Hat Bandit" struck again Saturday in Montgomery County.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Montgomery Township Police Department said the incident occurred around 10:10 a.m. at a PNC Bank located at 1216 Welsh Road in North Wales.
The suspect entered the bank wearing a tan hat and a mask with eyeholes cut out to hide his face. Brandishing a black semi-automatic handgun, the man ordered customers to the ground and demanded money from bank employees. After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect fled the area on foot.
The FBI believe the suspect is also responsible for 10 other bank robberies in Montgomery and Bucks Counties:
• June 8, 2012 at the Colonial American Bank located at 300 Welsh Road in Horsham
• September 28, 2012 at the First Federal Bank located at 803 Park Avenue in Wrightstown
• January 18, 2013 at the Wells Fargo Bank located at 706 Stony Hill Road in Yardley
• March 30, 2013 at the PNC Bank located at 1015 South Bethlehem Pike in Ambler
• May 24, 2013 at the Harleysville Savings Bank located at 1889 East Ridge Pike in Royersford
• May 24, 2013 at the Univest Bank located at 4285 Township Line Road in Schwenksville
• August 30, 2013 at the Wells Fargo Bank located at 25 West Skippack Pike in Ambler
• January 2, 2014 at the First Priority Bank located at 10 Sentry Parkway in Blue Bell
• January 6, 2015 at the Wells Fargo Bank located at 481 West Germantown Pike in Plymouth Meeting
• July 3, 2015 at the Wells Fargo Bank located at 1675 Limekiln Pike in Dresher
The suspect is described as a white man in his 50's between 6-foot and 6-foot-2-inch tall with a muscular or stocky build.
He was last seen wearing a dark suit, a light-colored dress shirt, a navy tie, dark shoes and white rubber gloves.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at (215) 418-4000 or Montgomery Township Police Department at (215) 362-2301.
PNC Bank is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.
