FBI Launches 40-State Billboard Campaign to Find the "Granddad Bandit"

RICHMOND, Va. A 40-state billboard campaign is set to launch across the country, but it will not be featuring your favorite Hollywood stars. Instead, the FBI is using digital billboards in an attempt to find a serial bank robber dubbed the "Granddad Bandit."

The notorious bandit is believed to have robbed 25 banks in 13 states over the past year and a half.

He is described as a bald, white, heavy set man, believed to be 45 to 60 years old.

The "Granddad" does not try to hide his identity when he walks into banks and hands demanding notes to the teller. Unlike many of his fellow felons, he does not hide behind a mask or costume. He is always seen wearing wire-rim glasses and is usually spotted in a polo-type shirt and baseball cap.

In an attempt to catch the suspect, the FBI has increased the reward for his capture from $10,000 to $25,000.

As many as 2,000 billboards will appear across the country and feature a photo of the "Granddad Bandit" along with a tip-line number and reward information, said Jeff Golimowski, a spokesman for The Outdoor Advertising Association of America, which is teaming up with the FBI on the campaign.

Officials say that 36 other FBI arrests have been directly linked to tips from such billboards.