Tip Helps Deputies Nab ‘Bozo Bandit’ Suspects

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies, aided by an observant witness and a computer that traces traffic citations, arrested two suspects Tuesday in the string of 10 “Bozo Bandit” bank robberies that have plagued local beach communities.

Joseph Lane Dursma, 28, and Mario Baricelli, 32, both of San Pedro, were arrested at 3:30 p.m. in a San Pedro parking lot, four hours after the pair allegedly robbed a bank in Gardena, Deputy Chris Wahla said.

The robbery was believed to be the latest committed by the so-called Bozo Bandit, who earned the nickname from the FBI because his hair resembles that of the Bozo the Clown character.

An unidentified witness who saw a man flee the First Interstate Bank at 1227 W. Redondo Beach Blvd. in Gardena noted the license plate number of the getaway car and gave it and a description of the vehicle to authorities, Wahla said.

The Department of Motor Vehicles was unable to help detectives in tracing the car, but a special Sheriff’s Department computer that matched the auto license number to a traffic citation issued to Dursma led deputies to Dursma’s home, Wahla said.

Detectives searching the vehicle recovered $300 in cash taken from the Gardena bank, Wahla said. Both men were taken to the Lomita Sheriff’s Substation and held, Dursma on $25,000 bail and Baricelli on $11,000.