A serial bank robber blamed for five hold-ups including one in Newhall last month is no longer being sought by the FBI after their prime suspect killed himself following a bank robbery in Goleta late last week.
Keith David Goodwin, 41, was identified Saturday by officials with the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department as the suspect in a bank robbery in Goleta Friday.
Goodwin died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Lt. Kevin Huddle said Monday.
“The (Santa Barbara) Sheriff’s Office is releasing the identity of the bank robbery suspect who committed suicide several hours after robbing a bank today, July 20, 2018, in Goleta,” said Kelly Hoover, spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department, in a news release issued Saturday.
Goodwin, with ties to Fresno and San Francisco, was the man FBI agents identified as the Faux Badge Bandit.
“Based on the similar M.O. and description, we believe the individual to be the suspect known as the Faux Badge Bandit,” FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said Monday.
The Faux Badge Bandit is the person FBI agents identified as the bank robber who hit the Wells Fargo branch inside the Stater Bros. store in Newhall on June 15.
Goodwin was dubbed the “Faux Badge Bandit” because of a seven-point badge he wore during robberies.
“Sheriff’s detectives are continuing to follow leads and work closely with the FBI to determine Goodwin’s connection to additional bank robberies within the state of California,” Hoover said Saturday.
Goodwin is suspected of robbing at least nine banks throughout California in the last two months, she said.
On June 15, about 11:30 a.m., deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station responded to reports of a bank robbery at the Wells Fargo location, inside the Stater Bros., in the 26900 block of Sierra Highway.
“There was just a demand note and possibly a gun seen,” Lt. Ignacio Somoano said at the time.
The robber — described at the time as a male, white suspect, believed to be in his 40s or 50s, heavy-set, wearing a cowboy hat — walked into the bank, handed the teller a demand note and left with cash, officials said.
The suspect left the Wells Fargo branch without incident, despite several shoppers reported seen inside and outside of the store.
The getaway car was described for detectives as a light-colored sedan.
A few hours after the bank robbery in Newhall, detectives with the Sheriff’s Department’s Major Crimes Bureau identified the suspect as a serial offender suspected in at least three other bank robberies.
“The unidentified white male has been linked to four bank robberies since May 31 and may be impersonating a police officer,” FBI agents said in a news release.
According to witnesses in some of the bank robberies, the suspect wore a seven-point badge on his hip along with a shoulder holster. A handgun had been brandished during the robberies and was also seen inside the holster.
While he was being sought, FBI investigators believed the suspect to have been armed with multiple weapons.
During the robberies, the suspect entered the bank carrying a bag and presented a note demanding cash. The suspect had threatened tellers that he would shoot coworkers if the victims did not comply with his demand.
The Faux Badge Bandit was linked to the following robberies:
- May 31: Wells Fargo Bank, 1487 Foothill Blvd., La Verne
- June 14: U.S. Bank, 2355 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena
- June 14: Chase Bank, 805 W. Foothill Blvd., Claremont
- June 15: Wells Fargo Bank, 26900 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita
661-287-5527
On Twitter
@jamesarthurholt
