The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office has announced a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest of the individuals behind a series of armored car robberies, known as the “Chesapeake Bandits,” that occurred between February 2022 and February 2023 in South Los Angeles, Hawthorne, and Inglewood, California.
The brazen robberies involve unknown suspects targeting armored car drivers servicing drive-thru ATMs or exiting businesses. The perpetrators reportedly overtake the drivers, zip-tie them at gunpoint, enter the armored vehicle, and steal the transported money. The FBI emphasizes the seriousness of the situation, noting that on one occasion, a shot was fired, although no injuries were reported.
The FBI is urging the public to be cautious, as these suspects should be considered armed and dangerous. Authorities are seeking assistance in identifying the individuals responsible for these criminal acts, which have left communities in the South Los Angeles area on edge.
The specific incidents include a robbery on February 14, 2022, in Hawthorne, California, and two separate robberies on June 9, 2022, in Inglewood, California. The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office is calling on anyone with information related to these crimes to come forward.