Posted on 07/11/2002 8:18:13 PM PDT by Mo1
'Lenny' and 'Squiggy' to face charges in 11 bank robberies
TACOMA -- Two men authorities dubbed "Lenny and Squiggy" because of their resemblance to the 1970s TV-sitcom characters will be charged in federal court this week with 11 bank robberies.
The Tacoma men were taken into custody at their homes Monday. Each is being held on $250,000 bail.
Tacoma police Detective Larry Andren explained to the men that he named them after the duo that often appeared on the television show "Laverne and Shirley." Like the fictional characters, one suspect was tall and slender, the other short and stocky.
"They weren't upset," Andren said. "They understood."
Police have blamed the men for a string of robberies from Federal Way to Lacey that began May 22 and ended July 2.
The one known as Lenny is 36 years old. The other is 46. Neither has been convicted of crimes in the past. The two were identified by a tipster who called after seeing bank surveillance video on a local news broadcast.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is not identifying the men because they have not been formally charged.
They robbed banks haphazardly, with drugs as a motivation, police said. "They just bounced around," Andren said. "They were very difficult to catch because we didn't know where on the radar screen they were going to pop up next."
In Milton, the two drove past a bank with a "Grand Opening" banner and joked that they could get free cookies there, Andren said. Once inside, after being handed free key chains by an employee, they decided to rob the place, the detective said. "That's how random these things are," he said.
Sometimes both men would enter the bank, and other times one would remain in the car as a lookout, FBI Special Agent Monte Shaide said. One or both would present a note that usually indicated they had a weapon, he said. Shaide would not say whether any weapons were found or whether either of the men ever actually displayed a weapon.
Police also did not say how the men knew each other, nor how they went from lives apparently free of crime to allegedly robbing banks. Both men lived in middle-class neighborhoods in Tacoma. Yesterday, neighbors said both had lived in their homes for some time.
Squiggy -- the shorter one -- was linked to a 12th robbery, in Las Vegas. He was arrested in connection with that crime, but a federal magistrate let him go because he did not have a weapon and had no criminal history, a prosecutor said yesterday.
Shaide said the men will be charged with the robberies in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, probably tomorrow.
"Their show's been canceled," Tacoma police spokesman Jim Mattheis said.
Lights out : ALERT!!! - Enviros may ban outdoor lights in Loudoun County, Va.
Well duh! The baby might grow up and eat a burger!
Only you Nully.
I seem to remember a few months ago that you were gonna make them wait till they were 30 to learn. Amazing how much difference a long trip as sole driver will make. 8-))
So9
You have me confused with Ratty
So9
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