Mar 26, 2008 02:50 PM
Curtis Rush
Staff Reporter
Although victims initially suspected that a man who robbed three banks within 90 minutes yesterday was wearing a fat suit as a disguise, police today say the man really is a fat guy.
"We don't believe it's a fat suit," Det. Russ Fairey told thestar.com today.
"We just think he is fat."
Early reports indicated the robber must have been wearing a "fat suit" to disguise his identity.
But police now believe the robber is about 5-foot-9 and 300 pounds. His beard, however, is a fake.
The three robberies are not connected to the violent bank robbery on Sheppard Ave. later in which police shot a suspect.
Police can't say yet how the chubby bandit was able to get around so quickly in order to pull off the three robberies within a five-mile radius.
"He was seen leaving the bank on foot, but he's got to have some mode of transportation," the detective said.
His first stop was a TD Bank at Bayview and Moore Aves., then another bank on Glencairn Ave. and finally a third on Marlee Ave., all in the midtown area.
Police believe the "fat bandit" has pulled more than the three bank heists and the violence has been escalating.
He produced a gun in all three holdups yesterday and staff were all quite shaken.
Police are working with the Canadian Bankers Association to come up with a reward. They hope to make an announcement sometime next week.
Meantime, the man shot by police during a bank holdup in the citys east end yesterday afternoon is expected to survive, according to Frank Phillips, a spokesperson for the Special Investigations Unit.
Holdup unit officers were called to the Royal Bank of Canada branch at 5080 Sheppard Ave., near Markham Rd., yesterday at 3 p.m. Shortly after arriving on scene, an officer fired at a male suspect.
"He was shot by more than one bullet and collapsed," said Phillip.
The man was taken to Sunnybrook hospital, where he underwent surgery for injuries described as life-threatening.
The SIU, a civilian organization that looks into incidents involving police that result in death or serious injury, has assigned five investigators and four forensic investigators to the case, said Phillips.
Since then, the SIU has identified two new police officers as important witnesses in the shooting, and the investigation is on-going.
Phillip added that while the man has been now been identified, his name will not be make public until next-of-kin are notified.
Bank customers and employees fled the building and police cordoned off Sheppard Ave. from Markham Rd. to Scunthorpe Rd.. The road remained closed for several hours as police used a robotic device to investigate a package the man had said was a bomb.
Just after 5 p.m., about a half-dozen people exited the back of the Royal Bank branch, which is right next door to a CIBC, and boarded TTC buses en route to 42 Division, where they were expected to give statements.
With files from Sarah Boesveld, Brett Popplewell, Jeffrey Todd and Emma Reilly
