Police have arrested a retired LAPD detective who they believe is the “Snowbird Bandit” who robbed five banks in Orange County.
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The other three robberies took place in the Orange County communities of Ladera Ranch, Mission Viejo and Dana Point.
Security camera photos were circulated by authorities, and on Wednesday afternoon, “several family members of Adair contacted sheriff’s deputies in the city of Rancho Santa Margarita”, Hallock said.
Adair is being held on $205,000 at the Orange County Jail for robbery and an outstanding warrant, reports CBS Los Angeles.
A retired Los Angeles Police Department detective is alleged to be the so-called “Snowbird Bandit” authorities say is responsible for a string of bank robberies.
An LAPD spokesperson told the L.A. Times that Adair was a detective with the Rampart Division for nearly 21 years, retiring in 1988.
Based on the follow-up investigation, evidence was collected connecting Adair to the five recent bank robberies in south Orange County, Hallock said.
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According to City News Service, Adair was dubbed the Snowbird Bandit because of his suspected age and appearance. During some of the robberies, he brandished a revolver and demanded cash. “Investigators were contacted, and with the assistance and cooperation of family members, Adair was taken into custody in a nearby Rancho Santa Margarita parking lot”. Investigators say they intend on pursuing federal charges against Adair.
