Laguna Beach Bank Robber--The Faceless Bandit--Apprehended

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — A man suspected in several bank robberies in Los Angeles and Orange counties attributed to the "Faceless Bandit" was due to make his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon.

Kyle Jason Korte is charged with bank robbery and armed bank robbery in an arrest warrant.

According to an FBI complaint, Korte is suspected in the bank robberies and attempted heists at:

• a Bank of America branch at 13020 Pacific Promenade Millenium in Playa Vista on Oct. 7; a teller was approached by a suspect wearing a stocking over his face, but he left before getting any money
• a Bank of the West branch at 23865 Hawthorne Blvd. in Torrance, which was robbed Oct. 12 by a suspect wearing a black stocking cap over his face
• a Union Bank branch at 229 Broadway in Laguna Beach, which was robbed by a suspect wearing a black stocking cap over his face and wielding a "large silver revolver with a black handle" on Oct. 27
• a Chase bank branch at 801 Pacific Coast Highway in Seal Beach, which was held up by a silver-gun-wielding suspect with a "black beanie covering his face" on Oct. 27.

A Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant who saw surveillance video of one of the heists recognized Korte from a prior bank robbery arrest in 2014, according to the FBI.

City News Service Contributed to this report.

Laguna Beach Police Department Photo