PHOENIX — A man believed to have robbed nearly two dozen banks in Arizona and Nevada over the span of 10 months was arrested Wednesday, the FBI announced.
The FBI said Richard Zumbro, 44, was arrested and detained on Monday, Oct. 25, after he allegedly robbed a U.S. bank in Mesa.
Authorities dubbed him the "Back Again Bandit," according to a news release.
"He used a demand note. This demand note did imply violence; no specific weapon but it did imply violence if those demands weren't met," said Rob Scherer, a task force officer with the FBI's Violent Crime Task Force.
The FBI said the robberies began in December 2020. Zumbro would allegedly target banks inside grocery stores and hand over a note with demands on it.
The robberies happened at several banks inside grocery stores, as well as some stand-alone branches, including U.S. Bank, Desert Financial Credit Union, and BBVA Compass Bank, around the Valley, Casa Grande, Tucson, Arizona, and Henderson, Nevada.
No injuries were reported in any of the incidents, the FBI said.
"I don't think they're any more of a "softer target," said Scherer, regarding bank branches inside grocery stores. "It was a personal preference of his."
The FBI said during his most recent robbery on Oct. 25, Zumbro gave authorities the "breadcrumbs" they needed to conduct an arrest.
Zumbro has been charged in a federal criminal complaint.
Officials provided the following list of all of the locations hit by the "Back Again Bandit":
- December 30, 2020, US Bank inside Fry’s, 9900 South Rural Rd., Tempe, AZ
- January 15, 2021, US Bank inside Fry’s, 9900 South Rural Rd., Tempe, AZ
- January 26, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 4005 East Chandler Blvd., Phoenix, AZ
- February 5, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 4005 East Chandler Blvd., Phoenix, AZ
- March 2, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 4005 East Chandler Blvd., Phoenix, AZ
- April 2, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 3800 West Happy Valley Rd., Phoenix, AZ
- April 30, 2021, Desert Financial Credit Union inside Frys, 985 E. Riggs Rd., Chandler, AZ
- May 6, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 5137 E. Baseline Rd., Gilbert, AZ
- June 11, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 3800 West Happy Valley Rd., Phoenix, AZ
- June 25, 2021, US Bank inside Albertsons, 3130 West Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ
- July 3, 2021, US Bank inside Fry’s, 2858 North Pinal Ave., Casa Grande, AZ
- July 29, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 3800 West Happy Valley Rd., Phoenix, AZ
- August 14, 2021, Desert Financial Credit Union inside Fry’s, 20797 N John Wayne Pkwy., Maricopa, AZ
- August 31, 2021, Desert Financial Credit Union inside Fry’s, 5140 West Baseline Rd., Phoenix, AZ
- September 4, 2021, US Bank inside Fry’s, 2858 North Pinal Ave., Casa Grande, AZ
- September 10, 2021, US Bank inside Smith’s, 2835 South Windmill Ln., Henderson, Nevada, NV
- September 14, 2021, Desert Financial Credit Union inside Fry’s, 15215 North Cotton Ln., Surprise, AZ
- September 21, 2021, BBVA Compass Bank, 1101 West Florence Blvd., Casa Grande, AZ
- October 1, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 9100 North Silverbell Rd., Tucson, AZ
- October 9, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 7110 North Oracle Rd., Tucson, AZ
- October 12, 2021, US Bank inside Albertsons, 3130 West Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ
- October 19, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 5137 East Baseline Rd., Gilbert, AZ
- October 25, 2021, US Bank inside Safeway, 1855 North Power Rd., Mesa, AZ
