FBI Releases Bank Robbery Statistics | Crime

Written By Andrew Gray - email

SANTA MARIA - The FBI's Los Angeles field office has released its annual bank robbery stats for 2011 and overall the numbers are down. That's not the case on the Central Coast.

The statistics released are from the central district in California. That consists of Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

From 2002 through 2011 the amount of bank robberies in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County's were the lowest in this district. However, from 2010 to 2011 the numbers were slightly up.

SLO County had two bank robberies last year compared to zero the year before, this according to the FBI. Santa Barbara County was up from six to twelve.

The entire state has experienced a steady decline in the past ten years as well as the central district

Nationwide, California is ranked at the bottom when it comes to the amount of robberies. There were 677 robberies in the entire state last year.

The FBI is asking for the publics help in catching ten serial bank robbers responsible for a large number of hold-ups in Southern California, one of them being the geezer bandit.

He has robbed sixteen banks since 2009 and three of the last four were here on the Central Coast.

His last robbery was back in December. He held up the Bank of America in San Luis Obispo.

Anyone with information as to the identity or whereabouts of a suspected bank robber is urged to contact the FBI or dial 911 immediately.

The FBI can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 1-888-226-8443.