Man dressed as Gumby tries to rob 7-Eleven

If you recognize this robbery suspect, San Diego police would like to hear from you.

Let's just go to the tape.

| Bob Cronkleton

Parole should be denied for 70-year-old cop killer, examiner recommends

A federal parole commission examiner recommended Wednesday that Ronald Del Raine, 70, should not be freed on parole.

Del Raine is serving a 199-year sentence in a federal prison in Colorado for the  murders of two police officers during a robbery of the Northlake (Ill.) Bank on October 27, 1967.

During the robbery, Del Raine and his accomplices got into a fierce gun battle with police. Two officers were killed in the shootout.

| Bob Cronkleton

 

Robber has change of heart after learning victim is homeless

Larry A. Sanderson II, 22, was walking out of a York City, Pa., homeless shelter when an armed robber approached and demanded that he empty his pockets.

After Sanderson turned over his wallet, cell phone, MP3 player, cigarettes and lighter, the robber asked if that is all he had.

Sanderson told the robber he lives in the shelter. "I can respect that," the robber responded and then returned the items.

| Bob Cronkleton

Was this man deliberately trying to go to prison?

In San Diego, a 71-year-old who uses a wheelchair is accused of robbing a bank while armed with nothing more than a BB gun, the AP reports. He went away for a bank robbery in 1997 and another in 1999, committed days after he was released from prison. If convicted, he could get life thanks to Three Strikes. It almost sounds like he just wants medical care, according to the story.

Robbers pistol-whip victims at KC party

Three robbers robbed and pistol-whipped several people during a robbery at a fraternity party late Saturday, and a 19-year-old from Kansas City has been charged in the case. Jackson County prosecutors have filed 20 counts against Bradley A. Jamierson, 19, who's accused of first-degree robbery, first-degree assault and armed criminal action.

The robbery happened about 10:30 p.m. Saturday near 56th and Lydia, court records state. One person was knocked unconscious, and several people needed stitches to their face. One robber fired his gun into the ceiling near a person's head. The probable cause states that Jamierson acknowledged he was at the party, but wasn't one of the robbers. He only ran from police, he reportedly said, because he had outstanding warrants.

UPDATED: Christine has more here and notes, as commenter Mr. T pointed out in our comments, the students were connected to Rockhurst University.

The robbers demanded cash but didn’t get much. Police said five of the victims told police they lost a collective $17.

Robbers target motels along Shawnee Mission Parkway

Overland Park police say three motels located on or near Shawnee Mission Parkway have been robbed in the past week or so. The first was 3:50 a.m. July 8 at the EconoLodge, 7508 Shawnee Mission Parkway in OP. The second was 10:30 p.m. Friday at the Comfort Inn in Merriam.The third happened about 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the King's Inn, just down the street from the EconoLodge.

Some of the details vary from robbery to robbery, such as the number of guys involved. The EconoLodge case had three suspects, but just one spotted at the King's Inn. It's possible they might be driving a white or cream Chevy Avalanche or Cadillac Escalade with a pickup-style bed, police say.

In each robbery, one of the suspects came into the lobby of the motel and asked about a room before coming back to rob the place. Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (474-8477).

Bank robber escapes on skateboard

I like how they have a description of the getaway vehicle ...

If you try to rob someone at gunpoint ...

... it's a really bad idea to accidentally drop your gun in the victim's lap. They might grab it and point it at you. The same principle applies to cellphones.

Home invaders broke into KC man's safe, police say

Jackson County prosecutors have filed charges against Michael K. Hampton, 18, of Kansas City in connection with a home invasion early Friday. Kansas City police say a group of men burst into a home in the 600 block of West 40th Street shortly after midnight and held a man at a gunpoint. They were reportedly in conflict with the man's son, who wasn't home. They cut into the son's safe -- which they tried, but failed to move -- and stole some guns.

KCPD looks into south KC carjack

From Christine Vendel: Kansas City police are looking for two men who stole a woman’s car at gunpoint in front of her home early today.

Man drives to KC police HQ to escape carjackers

From Christine Vendel: Kansas City police were looking for a gunman who followed a man from the Westport area early today to police headquarters in a failed attempt to steal his car.

Robber with machete takes french fries in lieu of cash

Story is from Tulsa, where a man walked into a Whataburger and asked for food, though he didn't have money to pay. The employee wouldn't give him the food, so the guy pulled out a machete and demanded the money in the register. The employee said he couldn't give the robber the money, but did acquiesce to the request for french fries, the Tulsa World reports.

Reverse psychology triumphs during Omaha robbery

If you ever go face-to-face with an armed robber, police do NOT recommend that you tell him to shoot you. Some people, though, are able to pull it off.

Home invasion in Raytown

Fox 4 says that four people broke into a Raytown home about 11:45 p.m. and robbed an occupant. It happened near 70th and Arlington, and nobody was injured.

Awaken the giant robber within!

In Newport News, Va., police are looking for a man carrying a "Workshop for Success" workbook when he robbed a local gas station. Those success strategies must work because he was able to get away.

Man carjacked at 39th and Gillham by gang of 5

From Tony Rizzo: Five men armed with rifles and pistols carjacked a man early this morning in midtown Kansas City.

The victim told police that he stopped for a red light at 39th Street and Gillham Road about 3:50 a.m. Two vehicles pulled up next to him and five men got out.

Three of the men were armed with AK-47-style rifles and two had semi-automatic pistols. They ordered him to lie on the ground and went through his pockets before taking his car along with cash, a cell phone and jewelry. The victim then ran to a relative’s house nearby and called police.

Suspect in OP bank holdup has a long record of heists

Larry Leonard Rice, a 60-year-old from Abilene, allegedly robbed a bank inside an Overland Park Hy-Vee on Saturday and turned himself into authorities the next day, after his picture was on the news here in Kansas City. The Journal-World says that Rice has a long history of bank robberies in Lawrence, St. Joe, Columbia and other towns -- he got out of prison back in 2008.

Have you seen this man?

KCPD is looking for the man in these photos as they investigate a robbery that happened early this morning in the 5500 block of East Bannister Road. They say he pointed a gun at the cashier and got away with $400. He was last seen running west, toward the Shadow Creek apartments at Bannister and Drury. Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (474-8477).

Granddad Bandit spotted in St. Louis

In St. Louis, the FBI is launching a big push to catch the "Granddad Bandit," a man believed to have robbed 20-plus banks across the U.S. since early 2009. The same man allegedly robbed a bank in St. Louis County on May 18. The bureau is offering a $10,000 reward and will publicize the robberies via billboards there. The robber is wanted in at least 10 states.

Photo released in Brookside mugging

Kansas City police have released a surveillance photo of a man who might be connected to a Brookside mugging from early Friday morning, Sara Shepherd reports. The robbery happened about 3 a.m. behind Charlie Hooper's near 63rd and Main streets and left one of the victims, a 21-year-old woman, with head injuries. Detectives want to question the man in the surveillance photo.

They're also interested in a white two-door car with a black top, Sara writes. Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (474-8477).

Pirates target Texas fishermen

On Texas' Falcon Lake, fishermen are the targets of Mexican pirates, who pose as "federales" but appear to be aligned with the Zetas drug cartel, the Washington Post reports. They've managed to avoid the authorities, largely by staying on the Mexican side of the lake.

Woman critically hurt in KC mugging

From Mara Rose Williams: Kansas City police are looking for two men in connection with a beating and robbery that has left a woman hospitalized and in critical condition.

Robbers blow up German bank while trying to steal ATM

In Germany, robbers apparently planned to use explosives to make off with an ATM. Only they ended up destroying the entire bank. Also, the ATM was unharmed. If only they'd made the whole bank out of that stuff ...

Hat Tip: Many thanks, goshel!

'I didn't rob none of them places'

Is it a confession or simply bad English?

Have you seen this bank robber?

The FBI is still looking for this guy, who robbed the Hawthorne Bank at 17430 E. 39th Street in Independence back on May 3. He's about 5 feet 10 to 6 feet, 250 pounds. He stole a Ford Windstar from a customer to escape; the vehicle was later captured. More here at Bandit Tracker.