Search Underway for 'Midnight Bandit' Linked to 58 Local Gas Station Robberies

Written by Kelly Hartog

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department released photos Monday of a man suspected of committing 58 gas station robberies, including hold ups in nearby La Palma and Buena Park over the last 18 months.

Nicknamed the 'Midnight Bandit' because he's alleged to have committed the crimes in the middle of the night, The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department's Major Crimes detectives, in conjunction with numerous local law enforcement agencies, is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect.

He has targeted gas stations and convenience stores throughout the southland for over a year. The gas stations targeted usually only have a single clerk who is robbed at gunpoint. 

Information about the robberies was released in 2012, but detectives are now releasing recently obtained photographs and information to help identify the suspect.

Suspect Description

Authorities describe him as a black man in his late 20s, between 5 feet 7 and 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing around 180 to 200 pounds. He usually wears shorts, shirt and a baseball cap. 

On March 14, 2013, the suspect was captured on video, both before and after an armed robbery, driving a silver/ gray 2000 to 2004 Jaguar S type four-door sedan. The robbery occurred in the 3800 block of Florence Avenue in the city of Bell at 9:30 a.m., one of the few robberies the suspect committed during daylight hours. 

Detectives are seeking anyone who recognizes this suspect or vehicle to come forward. The suspect is armed and should be considered very dangerous.  

The suspect has been known to commit six robberies per month across numerous southland jurisdictions, including Anaheim, Bell, Buena Park, Burbank, Culver City, Garden Grove, Glendale, Huntington Park, La Palma, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Monterey Park, Newport Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica, South Gate and Torrance.