Suspect in Credit Union Robberies Captured

Anyone with additional information concerning bank or credit union robberies, the “CU Tattoo” bandit, or any possible accomplices, should call the FBI Field Office in Portland Oregon.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The FBI says Marc Timothy Rzegocki, was arrested on Tuesday by Portland Police and FBI agents on an outstanding warrant for a federal parole violation.

Rzegocki, who is 54, was on federal parole after serving approximately 21 years of a prison sentence for bank robbery in Portland, Oregon. Agents say a federal warrant was issued after Eugene police detectives developed Rzegocki as the suspected bandit in the Pacific Cascades Federal Credit Union robbery, in Eugene, OR, on June 27th.

They say they also determined he had violated specific terms of his federal parole.

Rzegocki is also considered a suspect in a recent wave of six Credit Union Robberies conducted in Portland during the month of July by a tattooed bandit, dubbed “CU Tattoo”, for his extensively tattooed arms appearing in surveillance photographs. This same bandit apparently struck again in Portland on Monday, August 20th, while targeting yet another credit union for the second time since July 19th.

Rzegocki's arrest stemmed from what the FBI calls a concerted effort by their agency, working with Portland Police Bureau detectives, who learned of his suspected link to the Eugene heist of June 27th.

Investigators made the connection based on Rzegocki’s identification by an anonymous tipster, and confirmed by the suspect’s parole officer, after viewing a robbery surveillance photo on local television news.

The FBI’s bank robbery task force was quickly alerted to this link by an astute Marion Co. Sheriff’s Detective, who recognized the similarity between Rzegocki and a “CU Tattoo” bandit photo, disseminated in an Oregon Department of Justice law enforcement bulletin.

“This arrest demonstrates that task forces and increased information sharing work effectively to protect our financial institutions and combat violent crime throughout the state. It also spotlights the successful trend of increased cooperation among all law enforcement at federal, state, and local levels on a daily basis, regardless of the type of crime”, said FBI Portland’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Alan J. Peters.

Although Rzegocki’s Tuesday night arrest occurred without incident, the suspect was found to be in possession of an undisclosed amount of heroin. FBI Task Force Agent and Bank Robbery Coordinator, Tony Christensen, of the Portland Police Bureau, described the contraband as an amount “greater than a ‘personal use’ quantity”, adding that the suspect has not yet been charged with any narcotics offenses.

Now lodged at the Multnomah County Jail, Rzegocki, will first undergo a parole revocation hearing before facing bank robbery charges in federal court.

“His identification by a television news viewer was the break we needed”, said Agent Christensen. “That tip, coupled with some good police work, quickly led to his apprehension, and, we suspect, the end of a nasty crime spree.”

According to ASAC SAC Peters, “The joint investigative efforts culminating in this arrest were also supported by private industry, the media, and the public. This is often the case in a successful investigation – and in this one we had the ‘whole enchilada’. As far as the FBI is concerned, everyone involved in this union deserves the credit”

The “CU Tattoo” bandit’s tally this summer was up to eight robberies, including one in Clackamas County, one in Eugene, and six in Portland. As described in an FBI press release dated 8/8/2007, the tattooed bandit once used a getaway car bearing a stolen license plate from Eugene, Oregon. Moreover, witnesses reported seeing an unidentified man driving the getaway car in at least two Portland robberies.

Task force Investigators believe “CU Tattoo” may have targeted credit unions mistakenly believing they afforded less security than other banks. “This assumption is pure fantasy” stated Peters, “Oregon’s Credit Union’s security measures, such as video surveillance, and other techniques, are just as effective as those utilized in other financial institutions, either as an effective deterrent, or, as in this case, by providing critical assistance in identifying, or locating a suspect, and, then, more often than not, bringing him to justice.”

Another theory is that the bandit may also have believed the targeted credit unions were not as closely monitored by the FBI, or Portland Police Bureau. “Clearly not the case” stated Christensen, “these facilities are all protected by state and federal law, state and federal resources, and state and federal prosecutions. When the “CU Tattoo” Bandit” goes to prison for these jobs, he’ll have plenty of time to re-evaluate his strategy, as well as to disabuse any potential copycats of those notions.”

Anyone having any additional information concerning bank or credit union robberies, the “CU Tattoo” bandit, or any possible accomplices who may have assisted him, may call the FBI Field Office in Portland Oregon, FBI (503) 224-4181 (24 hours/day). In Eugene, please call (541) 343-5222, or in Salem, (503) 362-6601, during regular business hours.