Four recent armed robberies of Burbank businesses may be perpetrated by the same suspect wearing a thick fake beard, said Burbank Police today. BPD will send out a Crime Alert today, warning local businesses to be on the lookout for the ‘Fake Beard Bandit.’
The most recent armed robbery occurred on Saturday, January 18, at 6:01 p.m. at the Chevron gas station at 439 W. Alameda Avenue. In that incident, the clerk working behind the counter was approached by the suspect, who asked about using the bathroom. The suspect then placed a bag on the counter and told the clerk he had a knife and to put the money from the cash register in the bag, according to Sgt. Darin Ryburn.
The suspect got away with almost $200 in cash. The victim did not see which direction the suspect headed, only noted the suspect’s thick, fake beard. The suspect was described as being about 6′ tall, of medium build and wearing gray pants. The clerk did not see the weapon and was not injured.
On Friday, January 17, at 8:40 p.m., Burbank Police responded to an armed robbery call at the Chevron at 2501 W. Olive Ave., at the corner of Buena Vista. The suspect entered the gas station and showed the clerk a handgun in his waistband and demanded money be placed in a bag. The suspect fled on foot with a small amount of money, headed westbound on Olive Ave. and then northbound on N. Frederic Street.
The suspect was described as being about 5’8″ tall, about 150-170 lbs., wearing gray pants and a full, fake beard. There were no injuries to the gas station attendant.
Ryburn described the suspect’s beard as obviously fake, dark, with sideburns and several inches in length. He noted that the suspect in the two Froyo Bliss armed robberies on January 5 and 16 was described similarly physically and as having a thick, dark beard as the suspect in the two recent Chevron robberies.
Anyone in the areas of these four armed robberies around the noted times and may have noticed an individual wearing a fake beard or anything out of the ordinary are asked to contact the Burbank Police at 818-238-3210.
