LAPD Offers $25,000 Reward for Capture of “Asian Wig Bandit”

Police scramble to find a suspect wanted for 15 robberies throughout Southern California

The Los Angeles Police Department is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to a suspect responsible for a series of robberies targeting businesses for the past seven months.

The suspect, dubbed the “Asian Wig Bandit,” disguises himself as a female by wearing a wig and sunglasses, and pulls out a handgun after approaching employees, ordering them to ground while demanding money and jewelry, according to the LAPD.

He is believed to be linked to 15 incidents since Dec. 19, 2012, and has targeted companies that transfer money to the Philippines, the LAPD said. The robberies took place in the cities of Los Angeles, West Covina, Glendale, Chula Vista and Rancho Cucamonga. He has also been spotted in the San Jose area.

He is described as an Asian male, 25 to 30 years old, who weighs about 160 to 180 pounds and stands 5 feet 9 inches tall. He has been seen wearing a blond or black shoulder-length wig, and driving a beige or light-colored BMW SUV, possibly the X5 model.

“This bandit presents a serious threat to the public,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a LAPD press release Monday. “I want this bandit identified, caught, and convicted before his crimes escalate.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or go to LAPDOnline.org and click on "webtips."

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