Hipster Bandit: FBI Offers $20K Reward in Serial Bank Robbery Investigation

San Diego, CA — A $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the Hipster Bandit, a tattooed serial southern California bank robber who possibly rides a Harley-Davidson and speaks with an accent from Australia or New Zealand, was announced Friday by the FBI.

The Hipster Bandit, according to the FBI, is believed to be responsible for carrying out 10 bank robberies — eight completed robberies and two attempted robberies — eight of which occurred in San Diego County. The others were reported in Temecula (Riverside County) and Mission Viejo (Orange County).

The first robbery occurred on July 2, 2015 at U.S. Bank, 8920 Fletcher Parkway, in La Mesa, according to the FBI.

The latest robberies occurred one year later, on Saturday, July 2. He is believed to have robbed two banks that day: Wells Fargo, 26022 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo, and Wells Fargo, 6951 El Camino Real in Carlsbad, the FBI says.

The Hipster Bandit typically targets bank branches located inside of grocery stores and generally uses a demand note, according to Darrell Foxworth, FBI spokesman for the San Diego area.

"In some instances, the Hipster Bandit has been observed walking the perimeter of the grocery store before approaching the teller station," Foxworth said. "Generally, the Hipster Bandit waits in line until he is called by the next available teller, greets the teller and holds up a demand note indicating 'this is a robbery' while demanding specific denominations of money."

Witnesses have described the Hipster Bandit as a white man with a fair complexion and freckles who is in his late 20s or early 30s. The thin, slight man with brown hair and protruding ears stands between 5 feet 3 and 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs between 110 and 14o pounds. Witnesses noticed tattoos on his left upper arm but did not specify what they looked like. Also, he possibly has an Australian or New Zealand accent.

Authorities believe he has used a motorcycle and a blue SUV as getaway vehicles. He reportedly drove away from the La Mesa bank robbery driving the SUV. But on Saturday, July 2, he reportedly left the Carlsbad bank on a newer, black motorcycle with black hard-case saddlebags — possibly a Harley-Davidson or a Triumph.

Here is a list of banks believed to have been robbed by the Hipster Bandit:

• July, 2015: U.S. Bank - 8920 Fletcher Parkway, La Mesa
• Sept. 25, 2015: U.S. Bank - 1133 S. Mission Road, Fallbrook
• Nov. 2, 2015: Wells Fargo Bank - 10675 Scripps Poway Parkway, San Diego
• Jan. 9, 2016: Wells Fargo Bank - 4725 Clairemont Drive, San Diego
• Feb. 9, 2016: Wells Fargo Bank - 2560 El Camino Real, Carlsbad
• April 1, 2016: U.S. Bank - 29530 Rancho California Road, Temecula
• May 18, 2016: Wells Fargo Bank - 845 College Blvd., Oceanside
• May 18, 2016: Union Bank - 101 Old Grove Road, Oceanside
• July 2, 2016: Wells Fargo Bank - 26022 Marguerite Pkwy, Mission Viejo
• July 2, 2016: Wells Fargo Bank - 6951 El Camino Real, Carlsbad

Anyone with information concerning the Hipster Bandit is asked to call the FBI at 858-320-1800 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.