Armed Bank Robber Sentenced to Federal Prison

Defendant Sentenced as a Career Offender for Oregon and California Robberies

January 20, 2010 - Alan David Hurwitz, 69, of Orleans, California, was sentenced today to 17 ½ years in federal prison for committing an armed bank robbery in Medford, Oregon and three additional robberies in northern California in December 2008. During the robbery of the Liberty Bank in Medford, Hurwitz told the teller "You have ten seconds to give me 50's and 100's only, no bait" while passing her a note that it was a robbery and pulling up the front of his shirt to display what she believed to be a handgun tucked in his waistband. The teller told detectives that Hurwitz threatened to "shoot" if she did not comply with his demands. He fled with $3,050.

In California, Hurwitz robbed the Wachovia Bank in Palo Alto, the Redwood Credit Union in San Rafael and the Washington Mutual Bank in Santa Rosa. Hurwitz displayed what tellers believed to be a handgun tucked in his waistband in the Redwood Credit Union and the Washington Mutual Bank robberies. During the robbery of the Redwood Credit Union, the teller also reported to detectives that Hurwitz told her to give him all the money or he would kill her, ultimately fleeing with $1,000.

Oregon law enforcement subsequently identified Hurwitz from the Medford bank surveillance video and determined the type of vehicle he was driving. As a result, he was located and arrested on January 8, 2009 by the Wyoming Highway Patrol while traveling on the freeway near Laramie, Wyoming. Officers recovered some of the cash taken from the robberies and a hand drill wrapped with black electrical tape believed to have been used during the robberies.

Senior U.S. District Judge Owen M. Panner sentenced Hurwitz as a Career Offender, which enhances the sentence for commission of a serious violent felony after two or more convictions for other serious violent felonies. Hurwitz was also ordered to pay $12,360 in restitution to the banks and credit union. Hurwitz was previous convicted in 1994 and 1995 for committing 10 armed bank robberies in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana. Back then, he received the nickname the “Zombie Bandit,” and was sentenced to just over 13 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron Chatfield prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and the Medford Police Department.