Is suspected of multiple bank robberies in Arizona
Contributed Article
PHOENIX – On Dec. 23, 2017, officers from the Gulfport, Mississippi Police Department, along with FBI agents, arrested Miranda Marie Maloney, 33, who is believed to be the “Grimace Bandit”.
At approximately 3:55 a.m., the Gulfport Police Department arrested Maloney for being a fugitive from justice. Maloney was arrested after Gulfport Police Patrol units responded to a report of panhandling near the 2800 block of 25th Avenue. Officers contacted Maloney and while verifying her information discovered that she was wanted out of Phoenix for bank robbery. Gulfport Detectives responded along with FBI Agents who assisted with the fugitive arrest of Maloney. Maloney is also suspected of other bank robberies in Alabama and Lousiana.
Maloney is a suspect in seven bank robberies throughout Arizona between Sept. 30, 2017, and Nov. 4, 2017, including:
• 9/30/17 Chase Bank at 2950 W. Peoria Ave. in Phoenix.
• 10/6/17 BMO Harris Bank at 2839 W. Bell Rd. in Phoenix.
• 10/9/17 MidFirst Bank at 14130 W. Indian School Rd. in Goodyear.
• 10/18/17 Mountain America Credit Union at 805 E. Thunderbird Rd. in Phoenix.
• 10/24/17 Tucson Federal Credit Union (inside Fry’s) at 12100 N. Thornydale in Marana.
• 10/31/17 Hughes Federal Credit Union at 971 W. Wetmore Rd. in Tucson.
• 11/4/17 Wells Fargo at 2507 S. Avenue B in Yuma.
The “Grimace Bandit” earned the nickname because the suspect wore a purple shirt and a purple scarf during some of the robberies.
No one was physically injured during the bank robberies.
The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force would like to thank the Gulfport Police Department. We would also like to thank the Arizona Department of Public Safety laboratory, the Phoenix Police Department, the Goodyear Police Department, Tucson Police Department, Yuma Police Department, and Marana Police
Department. As always, we would like to thank the media and the public for their assistance with this case.
Maloney has been charged in a criminal complaint, filed in federal court. A complaint is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for Arizona at http://www.azd.uscourts.gov/ or on PACER https://www.pacer.gov/.
The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force is comprised of the Phoenix Police Department, Scottsdale Police Department, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.
