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One of Tampa Bay's most prolific bank robbers, the Band-Aid Bandit, held up a bank in Sarasota Thursday morning.
The robber, who is now joined by an accomplice during his hold-ups, has robbed 31 Florida banks over the past three years, most in the Tampa Bay area, authorities say. He is called the Band-Aid Bandit because he sometimes wears a bandage on his face.
The robber and his accomplice entered the Provident Bank, 5520 Fruitville Road, at 10:51 a.m. Thursday. Both men wore fake wigs and mustaches, another of the robber's trademarks.
The men, both wielding guns, handed a teller a note demanding cash. They left with money, though investigators did not say how much.
Sarasota sheriff's investigators said they think the robbers are driving a four-door silver Buick, or a similar model, with a Florida license plate.
Investigators usually have a pretty good idea when the bandit will hit - usually every three or four weeks.
But the bandit's net is so wide it is difficult to predict where. He has hit banks in eight counties. The only counties he has left alone in the region are Manatee and Pasco, leading some investigators to think he may live in one of them.
The Band-Aid Bandit is stocky and probably weighs more than 200 pounds. He appears to be in his late 30s or early 40s. His partner is slimmer and perhaps about the same age. They have spoken English and Spanish during the hold-ups.
Investigators and the Florida Bankers Association are offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the Band-Aid Bandit and his partner.
Anyone with information about the robberies can the Florida Department of Law Enforcement toll-free at 1-800-226-1140.