Prolific bank robber Scott Scurlock evaded arrest for years by wearing costume makeup and elaborate disguises during his robberies — earning him the nickname the “Hollywood Bandit.”
Tammy DiamondScott Scurlock , one of U.S. history ’s most successful bank robbers .
To those who cognise him , Scott Scurlock was an flaky yet likable guy . Raised by spiritual parents in Virginia , Scurlock stood out as a voguish kid whose only manifest fault was not applying himself .
As an adult , he moved to Washington state to canvass as a premed student in Olympia . There , he make a massive treehouse and got his footing in the Pacific Northwest drug trade . But his real claim to fame was his talent for plume bank .
Tammy DiamondScott Scurlock, one of U.S. history’s most successful bank robbers.
begin in 1992 , Scurlock robbed nearly 20 Seattle - area banking company in just four age , collecting about $ 2.3 million and becoming Washington state ’s most prolific camber robber in the process . dub the “ Hollywood Bandit ” by the FBI , Scurlock wore a range of luxuriant disguises during his robberies , leave few clues as to his true identity .
It was n’t until police police officer compromised his getaway railroad car one day in 1996 that Scott Scurlock ’s favourable streak ended for good .
The Early Life Of Scott Scurlock
William Scott Scurlock was born in 1955 and raised in Virginia . His father was a Baptist minister , and his mother was an uncomplicated school teacher . Scurlock was one of three children and the kinfolk ’s only son .
Although his phratry was very religious , Scurlock was arouse without bodily structure and boundaries . He was a smart shaver , but he seldom applied himself in school and was consider by friends to be charming and free - zippy , if somewhat manipulative .
In 1974 , Scurlock moved to Hawaii to ferment with his childhood booster , Kevin Myers , on a tomato farm . At one gunpoint , Scurlock and Myers slip a marihuana plant life from a nearby farm and begin selling the drug . This operation ended when their employer discovered the plant on the property and fired the dyad .
Washington Secretary of StateScurlock’s treehouse in Olympia, where he lived like a Lost Boy.
After this blunder , Scurlock inscribe in Evergreen State College in Olympia , Washington as a premed educatee in 1978 , apparently engrossed on setting himself veracious . This try was short - exist .
Not long after enrolling , Scurlock reportedly began sneaking into the school day ’s interpersonal chemistry science laboratory to make deoxyephedrine , which he then betray for profit . He got away with this longsighted enough to purchase about 20 acres of land where he would later construct an idyllic three - story treehouse using steal wood from a nearby lumberyard .
Washington Secretary of StateScurlock ’s treehouse in Olympia , where he lived like a Lost Boy .
NetflixScott Scurlock robbing a bank in an elaborate disguise.
The house had a sundeck , plumbing , electrical energy , a fireplace , and a fire pole for quick descent . The attribute would become his abode foundation as he hunt down his unlawful drug mathematical operation .
For over a decade , Scurlock continued to betray methamphetamines , becoming a massive drug electrical distributor in the area and using the profits to fund his bizarre lifestyle .
Pivoting From Drug Dealer To Bank Robber
NetflixScott Scurlock robbing a cant in an detailed disguise .
In 1990 , Scott Scurlock was dealt a annihilative emotional blow when his drug distributor was murdered . The crime was a rude wakening , and it prompted Scurlock to quickly get out of the drug business .
Luckily , he had keep Johnny Cash reserve buried on his dimension which carry him over until 1992 . But he speedily realize he had to find another fashion to make money .
King County Sheriff’s DepartmentMark Biggins, Scurlock’s accomplice.
So , he adjudicate to seek his hand at banking concern robbery .
Partnering with his college friend Mark Biggins , Scurlock robbed his first bank on June 25 , 1992 . That day , he enter the Seafirst Bank in Seattle ’s Madison Park neighbourhood , mask with theater makeup and a prosthetic olfactory organ . Biggins fag out a Ronald Reagan masque .
Without hurting anyone , Scurlock leave the depository financial institution that day with about $ 20,000 — and a newfound love for robbing banks .
Washington Secretary of StateScott Scurlock was a charming and good-looking “hippie” type.
On Aug. 14 , 1992 , Scurlock returned to the same bank alone , this time wearing a dissimilar camouflage . But harmonise to theWashington Secretary of State , teller recognized the brigand ’s authoritative demeanor .
Scurlock walked away that day with $ 8,124 . Once again , no one was hurt . In fact , while Scurlock carried a gun , he would never harm a single person during his many robberies .
These criminal offense caught the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) , who mention to Scurlock as the “ Take Charge Robber , ” given his intimidating looting style .
In the subsequent three month , Scurlock and his associate robbed four more bank in Seattle . The last looting in this spree occur at a different Seafirst Bank on Nov. 19 , 1992 and earned the group a whopping $ 252,000 .
After this criminal offense , the FBI deepen Scurlock ’s name to the “ Hollywood Bandit , ” in reference to his theatrical costume and demeanour .
The FBI Closes In On Scott Scurlock
By 1993 , Scott Scurlock had made over $ 300,000 from robbing banks .
Meanwhile , he stay on to live like a Lost male child on his bizarre treehouse property , telling those who demand that his income came from grammatical construction or carpentry body of work . An avid outdoorsman , Scurlock also evidently fancied himself a modern Robin Hood , donate much of the money he stole to environmental charities .
In 1994 , Scurlock and his associates rob five banks in the Pacific Northwest for a total of about $ 260,000 . On Jan. 27 , 1995 , Scurlock robbed the Madison Park Branch of the Seafirst Bank for the third time , scoring a banging $ 252,466 , according toHistory Link .
But while Scurlock shew himself to be an remarkably gifted bank robber , the FBI was slowly closing in .
Investigators pored over surveillance footage from the robberies and combed through the details of each caseful . They soon estimate that Scurlock was spending roughly $ 20,000 a month ; the day of the month of the robberies correlated with the times he was low on immediate payment .
With this entropy , the FBI start placing agents in banks “ Hollywood ” had hook in the past on dates that correlate with his spending habits . They also offered a $ 50,000 reward for info related to the bandit ’s halt .
In full , Scurlock and his associate had stolen over $ 1 million from banks by 1995 . And it seemed as if he had no plan to stop .
The Hollywood Bandit’s Final Robbery
King County Sheriff ’s DepartmentMark Biggins , Scurlock ’s confederate .
By 1996 , Scott Scurlock and his associates had commit well-nigh 20 bank robberies in four old age .
But Scurlock ’s profession came with risks — ones that would shortly prove deadly for thebank robber .
On Nov. 27 , 1996 , Scurlock plat to pluck the Seafirst Bank in Seattle with his familiar , Paul Meyers and Mark Biggins . But when Scurlock entered the bank that sidereal day , a trained teller recognize the Hollywood Bandit immediately and bump off the understood alarm clit .
The robbers forced the savings bank employee to the ground at gunpoint while they entered the vault and collected the hard currency . The bandits then walked out of the bank and down the street to a getaway car .
Unfortunately for them , a bank customer had discreetly followed them and reported their fomite to 911 . Task forcefulness officers soon flock to the neighborhood , and although Scurlock and his associates dump the getaway machine for a whitened van , officers trained to conform to funny fomite soon begin tailing the gang .
clear he was being chased , Scurlock pulled the van over and did something he had never done before : He pointed his hired gun with the purpose of using it .
gibe rang out between officers and the van crew . Scurlock reentered the vehicle , assay to fly . Instead , he drove the van into a nearby house — and fled on foot .
officer approached the van and arrested Biggins and Meyers , who were hurt with nonfatal gunfire wound . The police force also retrieved the blood - hock cash the crew had stolen , amount to about $ 1 million .
Soon , Biggins and Meyers would squeal that Scott Scurlock was the mastermind behind all of the robberies .
Scott Scurlock Meets His End
Washington Secretary of StateScott Scurlock was a wizard and soundly - looking “ hippie ” type .
With Scott Scurlock on the loose , the police force established a six - block perimeter around the area in which he had vanish . Officers and K-9 units start patrolling the area , intent on at last pick up the Hollywood Bandit .
The next day , two brothers name Robert and Ronald Walker were visiting their mother , Wilma Walker , for Thanksgiving dinner at her home two block from where the van struck the house .
Wilma maintain a 10 - foot camper on her property . After learning about the manhunt for the Hollywood Bandit , the brother began suspecting someone might be hiding in the camping bus when they noticed that its top windowpane was open . Ronald and Robert peer into the vanguard — and noticed someone inside .
The two brothers called the police force , and within second , officers surrounded the camper . Scurlock was treed .
When one officer attempted to start the motor home door , however , a shaft rang out from inside , prompting the police to fuel their guns into the van . After securing the area and attempting to make inter-group communication with Scurlock , police officer forcefully opened the camper — and found the body of Scott Scurlock .
In the expression of pinch , the Hollywood Bandit had fatally shot himself .
Who Was The Hollywood Bandit?
Soon after , officer searched Scott Scurlock ’s property and find oneself a cloak-and-dagger undercover way filled with cash , costumes , and face key . The police force were sure they had retrieve their cat .
Scurlock was described by friends as a “ hippie ” who spend much of his spare clip outside . His only apparent source of income had been woodwork . Many described him as being quiet , good-looking , levelheaded , gentle , and a generous dumper , and they were shock that such a individual could have engineer so many looting .
“ I ca n’t even apprehend him getting into any violent world , ” Stuart Scurlock , Scurlock ’s first cousin , told theSeattle Times . “ He was always gentle , peace - bed . I ca n’t fancy something like this . ”
Some , however , noted that Scurlock had an volatile peevishness that often got him into fights .
“ He was the scariest guy cable I ’ve ever contact , ” his neighbour Greg Smith told theSeattle Times . “ I was n’t surprised to see constabulary in front of his house yesterday morning . To see somebody like that in such an angry state , you knew something was resile to encounter one day . ”
With so many conflicting accounts of Hollywood ’s personality , however , we may never understand just who the real Scott Scurlock was .
After read about Scott Scurlock , plunge into the taradiddle ofBrian Brown Easley , the warhorse who held up a banking company after the Department of Veterans Affairs failed to issue his disability payment . Then , learn the true narration ofPatty Hearst , the heiress forced to link a left - wing guerilla group and rob banks .
