Ronnie Leibowitz

Ronnie Leibovitz
Born (1953-08-24) August 24, 1953
Israel

Ronnie Leibowitz (Hebrew: רוני ליבוביץ‎‎) is a convicted Israeli bank robber, nicknamed Ofnobank (a combination of the words "motorcycle" and "bank" in Hebrew),[1] due to his theft methods. In English this moniker has been translated as Bikerbank[2] or the Motorcycle Bandit.[3]

During the year 1990, Ronnie Leibowitz robbed 21 bank branches, mostly in the Tel Aviv area, by using a motorcycle (an Italian Moto Guzzi) to enter and escape banks, and then hiding the motorcycle in a truck readied for that purpose in advance. The police investigators, searching for a fugitive motorcycle and not a truck, were unable to locate him. The mass media "crowned" him as the "Motorcycle Bandit" and granted his crimes considerable media coverage. 21 robberies took place before Leibowitz was apprehended by the police.

When questioned, Leibowitz admitted to all his bank robberies and cooperated fully with police investigators. Just a few days after his capture, he returned all the stolen money. The district court sentenced him to 20 years in prison, but after Leibowitz appealed to the Supreme Court of Israel, his sentence was reduced to 14 years. The prosecution agreed to this reduction as well, and he eventually served 8 years.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.haaretz.com/news/how-israel-put-its-most-notorious-bank-robber-on-a-stamp-1.255709
  2. ↑ Shargorodsky, Sergei (1990-10-07). "Bold 'Bikerbank' Bandit Enthralls Israel". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ↑ Rudge, David (1993-04-08). "HERUT LAPID LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO PARDON 'MOTORCYCLE BANDIT'". Jerusalem Post (archive). Retrieved 2009-03-22.
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