"Cotton Ball Bandit" Serial Bank Robber Strikes 6th Marin County Bank – Still at Large

By Jim Welte

One day after Central Marin Police released surveillance video of a man wanted in connection with at least six bank robberies in Marin, a man matching his description robbed the Redwood Credit Union in the Montecito Plaza shopping center in San Rafael, according to police.

San Rafael Police Cpl. Justin Graham said a man linked to bank robberies in Corte Madera, Greenbrae and Mill Valley walked into the Redwood Credit Union, passed a note to the teller demanding money and calmly walked out with an undisclosed amount of money and the note. Witness reported that there was a long line at the bank at the time and the robbery occurred with little drama.

No weapon was seen and no one was injured during the bank robbery.

The incident matched the description of the previous six bank robberies associated with the "Cotton Ball Bandit," the moniker given to him by Central Marin Police because of the pom-pom ball atop the brown knit hat with earflaps he wears to each robbery. Witnessed told police that the man matched the description of the "Cotton Ball Bandit."

The alleged Redwood Credit Union robber was described as a white male adult, 40 to 45 years old, about 5’10” with slight to medium build, unshaven gray stubble, wearing a dark colored knit cap with flaps over the ears, pink T-shirt, black jacket and black jeans with holes in the knees.  

Graham said San Rafael investigators are working with Central Marin Police, the Marin County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations to identify the alleged bank robber.

Graham said the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.  

Anyone with information about this incident should call the San Rafael Police Department at 415-485-3000 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. Tips can also be made online atwww.bayareacrimestoppers.org or provided by using the SRPD Silent Witness tip form available at www.srpd.org/tips.