Wyoming state police arrested a Bay Area bank robbery suspect known as the "Zombie Bandit" in Albany County near Laramie Thursday for the robbery of a Liberty Mutual Bank in Medford, Ore., FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steele said.
Alan David Hurwitz, 67, also was arrested on a drug charge soon after Wyoming authorities were informed about the car he might be driving, Medford police Lt. Tim Doney said.
Hurwitz is also a suspect in the Dec. 11 robbery of the Redwood Credit Union in San Rafael, the Dec. 12 robbery of the Wachovia Bank in Palo Alto and the Dec. 22 robbery of the Washington Mutual Bank in Santa Rosa.
He served roughly 12 years in prison for bank robberies in four Midwest states in the early 1990s.
Steele said Hurwitz offered no resistance when he was arrested after his car was recognized by the Wyoming state police officer. Hurwitz was taken to the Albany County jail.
The Dec. 30 Medford bank robbery is currently a state charge, but local and federal prosecutors in Oregon and in California will determine if he will face state or federal charges, Steele said.
If charged on a federal level, Hurwitz will be taken to Oregon as a federal prisoner, Steele said.
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Doney said his department sent regional law enforcement authorities information Wednesday about the vehicle Hurwitz was believed to be driving.
The information was sent to Wyoming authorities and Hurwitz was arrested 30 minutes later after an officer recognized his car and license plate, Doney said. Albany County sheriff's deputies assisted with the arrest.
"We're just happy he is in custody and no one got hurt," Doney said.
Hurwitz was dubbed the Zombie Bandit because of his pockmarked face, deadpan expression and robotic demeanor during his armed robberies in the Midwest. He is a former educator in Michigan.
Santa Rosa police said he should be considered armed and dangerous when they identified him in a press release Tuesday as the suspect in the Washington Mutual Bank robbery at 1301 Guerneville Road in Santa Rosa on Dec. 22.
