Crime & Safety

Corona Man Suspected To Be 'Button-Down Bandit'

A suspect believed to be the so-called "Button-down Bandit" responsible for a recent string of bank robberies was arrested Wednesday in Montclair, a Redlands police spokesman said.

The arrested man was identified as David Michael Younger, 49, of Corona, and he was taken into custody Wednesday Dec. 11 in Montclair, two days after the Pacific Western Bank in Redlands was robbed, city spokesman Carl Baker said in a statement.

According to Baker, a white man "described as being in his 40s with sandy blond hair, wearing a buttoned, collared shirt and blue jeans" went into the Pacific Western Bank branch at 218 E. State St., shortly after 12:30 p.m. Dec. 9, and passed a note to the teller demanding cash.

"He left the bank with the money," Baker said. "Witnesses said he fled in a silver Mercedes SUV. Witnesses provided police with a license plate number that was traced to a Hertz rental car agency and linked to Younger."

On Wednesday, Redlands police and Montclair police tried to contact Younger at a residence in Montclair, Baker said.

"Younger saw police at the residence as he approached in his vehicle and a pursuit ensued with Redlands and Montclair police," Baker said. "The pursuit ended at San Antonio Avenue and La Deney Street in Montclair where Younger was taken into custody."

The Button-down Bandit is suspected in five other bank robberies since Nov. 15 in Corona, Riverside, La Quinta, Seal Beach and Yorba Linda. Baker said Younger was given the nickname for button-down shirts he usually wore during the alleged robberies.

Anyone with more info was urged to call Detective Chad Mayfield at (909) 798-7671 or Redlands Police Dispatch at (909) 798-7681.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.