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Charge: Gambler robbed banks to get funds

Published: Dec. 9, 2005 at 5:53 PM

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Authorities in California have arrested a man who allegedly used bank robbery to support a gambling habit.

The FBI suspects Edmond Sykes of Encino of being both the Armed Old Man Bandit and the Fedora Bandit -- and of having held up 17 banks, mostly in the San Fernando Valley.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller told the Los Angeles Daily News the two bandits had similar habits. Both abused bank employees and used bad language.

Sykes was arrested after a bank employee followed the stick-up man out and got his license plate number. When FBI agents couldn't find Sykes at home, they started checking out casinos.

He was arrested Wednesday at the Commerce Casino, where he was playing poker.

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