The FBI and Fort Worth police are searching for two women bank robbers who have separately robbed at least seven Fort Worth banks this year.
The two women, dubbed “Wig Bandit I” and “Wig Bandit II,” are causing veteran investigators to scratch their heads, wondering if the two know each other, or if the second is a copycat.
The spree started in January at a Chase Bank at 6700 West Vickery Boulevard.
The robber was a woman, wearing a long strawberry-blonde wig, police said.
When the same woman hit three more banks, longtime Fort Worth police robbery detective Mike Baggett was surprised.
"We occasionally have women rob banks,” Baggett said. “Usually it's just a single robbery. Having a woman serial robber is definitely rare."
It was even more unusual when a second woman in a wig robbed Compass Bank in the 5700 block of Camp Bowie Boulevard on May 22.
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She was not quite as tall. Her wig was shorter, and it was dark red or brown.
Police named her "Wig Bandit II."
"It surprised us,” Baggett said. “We're thinking that either one is inspiring the other or they may be in some way connected, like, 'Hey, I'm doing this. You can do it too.'"
Neither woman has been seen together, Baggett said.
And there are more clues, according to police.
Wig Bandit I has a rough complexion and wore a bandage on the side of her face. While Wig Bandit II wears a bandage on her left hand, possibly to cover tattoos.
Both may have accomplices.
Wig bandit I was seen getting into a getaway car with two men.
Wig Bandit II may be working with a third man. Investigators said a man was captured on camera, casing a bank for her.
The second woman is suspected of robbing two more banks last week.
Neither woman has displayed a gun during the robberies, but both gave threatening notes to bank tellers demanding money.
"We're hoping someone in the public knows them and will cooperate and do the right thing and call us,” Baggett said.
