Police Arrest Transient as Suspected Prolific OC Bank Robber the 2K Bandit

A transient man suspected of being the so-called 2K Bandit has been charged with 11 bank heists in Orange County, the FBI announced today.

Mark Damon Moore, 47, a transient when arrested last week, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 12 felony counts of second-degree robbery and denied two sentencing enhancements for the use of a firearm, according to court records.

A Tustin police detective last Friday spotted and arrested Moore, who was being sought by authorities as a suspect in the robberies, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

The 2K Bandit moniker stems from his demand of $2,000 in stickups, Eimiller said.

Moore has been charged with the following robberies:

--Wells Fargo Bank branch, 301 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, on Dec. 3;

--Chase Bank branch, 905 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente on Dec. 8;

--Chase Bank branch, 8901 Valley View St., Buena Park, on Dec. 13 and Dec. 18;

--Bank of America branch, 548 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, on Dec. 22;

--Wells Fargo branch, 2300 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, on Dec. 22;

--Chase Bank branch, 905 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, on Dec. 29;

--U.S. Bank branch, 7211 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach, on Jan. 3;

--Chase Bank branch, 1455 Baker St., Costa Mesa, on Jan. 17;

--U.S. Bank branch at 130 S. Main St., Orange, on Jan. 21 and;

--Wells Fargo branch, 18356 Irvine Blvd., Tustin, on Jan. 28.

• City News Service
• Photo Credit: labankrobbers.org