Three and a half months into the year, there have already been 24 bank robberies in the St. Louis area -- more than double the number of robberies by this point last year. (The number doesn't include Illinois counties.)
Two of those robberies occurred on Wednesday -- one inside the U.S. Bank on the 5800 block of Hampton; the other inside the U.S. Bank on Netherton Drive, in north St. Louis County. Both suspects were apprehended.
So, why the sudden binge of burgles?
Part of it is attributable to two particularly brazen thieves. The first is "McBurgler," a suspected four-time offender who dresses like a McDonald's worker during his hold-ups. The second thug, known to wear a dark hood and brandish a handgun, is wanted for six recent heists. FBI spokeswoman Rebecca Wu tells Daily RFT that the burger bandit and the hooded hoodlum account for nearly 40 percent of the 24 robberies.
The surge in stickups was first reported by the Post-Dispatch.
Wu encourages folks to check out www.bandittrackerstlouis.com to get caught up on all your local heist news. It includes a section for "Featured Robberies," as well as up-to-the-minute stats, wanted posters, suspect descriptions, interactive maps and surveillance photos of the crooks in action.
The website enables folks to submit tips as well. If you've been looking to serve up a McBurglar to the cops, here's your chance.
