FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"BICYCLE BANDIT" STRIKES AGAIN

Charlotte, NC - An armed bank robber who was dubbed the "Bicycle Bandit" because of his means of escape following an earlier bank robbery has apparently struck again. On October 10, 2007, at about 9:52 a.m., a lone male armed with a small-caliber semi-automatic pistol entered the First Charter Bank located at 6342 Carmel Road, Charlotte, North Carolina (NC), and approached one of the bank tellers. The robber pointed the pistol at the teller and demanded money. After obtaining an undisclosed sum of money, the robber moved to another teller and demanded more money, after which the robber exited the bank.

The suspect subsequently fled the area on a red bicycle and was last scene in the vicinity of Little Avenue and Walsh Boulevard. Although the suspect was last scene on the bicycle, it is suspected that he may have placed the bicycle in the back of a nearby vehicle and then fled the area in a motor vehicle. There were no injuries as a result of the robbery.

The suspect was described as a white male, approximately six feet in height, weighing over 200 pounds, about 30s in age, and having brown hair. At the time of the robbery, the suspect was wearing a light gray hooded sweatshirt, which was pulled over his head and had navy blue lettering across the front of the sweatshirt, a blue baseball cap, a fanny pack, and dark, baggy blue-jean pants. The suspect was also wearing a Halloween-style mask with oversized and protruding teeth.

Today's suspect is believed to be the same individual who robbed the Bank of Granite, 3016 Weddington Road, Suite 500, Charlotte, NC, on September 21, 2007. In that robbery, the suspect was wearing what appears to be the same mask that was used in today's robbery. Additionally, the suspect in the Bank of Granite robbery also fled the area on a bicycle.

Investigators from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the FBI Charlotte Safe Streets Task Force responded to today's robbery and are still investigating.

The FBI Charlotte Safe Streets Task Force is releasing the attached images from the bank's surveillance system to help further identify the suspect. Anyone with information regarding this case is requested to contact the FBI at (704) 377-9200.