Police Capture Suspected 'Drywaller Bandit' in Encinitas

A man believed to be the so-called "Drywaller Bandit''—a serial thief responsible for a six-month spree of armed bank robberies in San Diego and Los Angeles counties, including several in Encinitas—was captured Thursday following his 11th alleged holdup.

About 9:15 a.m. Thursday, a thief wearing a dust mask and armed with a pistol robbed a in the 100 block of North El Camino Real in Encinitas, San Diego Sheriff's Lt. Jim Walker said.

A few minutes later, arriving deputies spotted a man matching the description of the robber walking to the east near the bank. Seeing the patrol personnel, he broke into a run.

The deputies caught up with the suspect, later identified as 39-year-old
John Leendert Oskam of Pasadena, a short distance away and took him into
custody.

The suspect, whose name was not immediately available, was taken to the
to be interviewed. He is expected to be booked into
the Metropolitan Correctional Center and arraigned in U.S. District Court in
San Diego.

The "Drywaller Bandit,'' so named by investigators due to the type of
construction-style mask he wore during his crimes, is believed to have robbed
the following banking offices, several of them twice:

— Citibank, 161 W. California Blvd., Pasadena, Aug. 13

— Wells Fargo, 350 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, Aug. 24

— US Bank, 1074 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas, Sept. 24 and Dec. 21

— Wells Fargo, 276 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas, Oct. 25

— Citibank, 113 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas, Nov. 19 and Dec. 27

— Chase, 615 College Blvd., Oceanside, Dec. 8

— Citibank, 4120 Oceanside Blvd., Jan. 8

— US Bank, 4136 Oceanside Blvd., Jan. 25

— Chase, 105 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas, Feb. 3

The thief wielded a black handgun during each of the robberies, according to the FBI.

City News Service contributed to this story.