FBI: 'Shaky' Bank Bandit Behind Bars
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – The FBI has announced the so-called "shaky bandit" knocking up Florida banks has been arrested.
Brandon Venditti of Weston was taken into custody at 5 p.m. Tuesday, following a reported bank robbery in Collier County.
Collier County Sherriff's deputies, Florida Highway Patrol troopers and FBI agents located a car that was identified as a possible get-a-way vehicle used in the robbery.
The car crashed at around mile marker 91 on Alligator Alley, at which point 22-year-old Venditti surrendered. Another individual in the car was also arrested and placed into state custody.
Venditti is accused of a series of robberies across Florida.
On Monday, the "shaky bandit" robbed a Chase bank branch in Port St. Lucie just before 5 p.m. Less than 45 minutes later, he hit a Wells Fargo branch in Palm City.
During both robberies, the robber entered the bank, implied he was armed and demanded money from a bank employee. While there were customers in the banks, there were no injuries. The FBI has not said how much money was taken in each robbery.
Investigators believe the robber, dubbed the "shaky bandit" because his hands shake during the robberies, was responsible for at least nine other bank robberies along the lower east coast.
The first one they can tie him to is the robbery of a Citibank branch in Oakland Park on September 27th.
On October 1st, he robbed a TD Bank location in Ft. Lauderdale.
CBS4's Peter D'Oench spoke with customers there on Tuesday afternoon and they told him they were both concerned and alarmed by the crime spree.
"Whoever is taking somebody's money does not need to be doing that and needs to be caught," said Patricia Williams. "Yes I am concerned for the customers and their safety."
Desiree Avila said, "I just hope I am not in the bank when he shows up. I am concerned for the people working in the bank and the money but of course safety comes first."
Another customer, Sabrina Rosenbaum, said, "I mean this is kind of messed up. People are crazy these days. You have to be careful. But I do believe he will be caught. I believe in kharma and he will receive bad kharma."
"It's a sign of the times," said Harold Sachleben. "People do things. There is evil out there. Yes, 11 banks is something but there are hundreds of banks out there so 11 banks does not seem that much out of the ordinary."
On October 3rd, he robbed a Chase branch in Boynton Beach followed by a Wells Fargo robbery the following day in Margate. On October 6th, he hit PNC branches in both Ft. Lauderdale and Coconut Creek.
On October 9th he robbed a Wells Fargo in Wilton Manors. The following day he hit two Chase Bank locations, one in Lake Park, the other in Jupiter.
It's not known if the robber has brought a weapon with him in to the banks. It's also not known if the "shaky bandit" will continue moving north.
Anyone with information about this bank robber should call the FBI at (754) 703-2000 or Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS (8477). There is a reward of up to $3,000.
