NIGERIAN WITH 68 ARMED ROBBERY CONVICTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN APPREHENDED

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has apprehended a 26-year-old Nigerian serial robber known as the "Blue Cloth Bandit," Charles Chukwuma Onwuemelie.

LAPD accused Onwuemelie, who was arrested on Wednesday, of 68 armed robberies that occurred in the Los Angeles area since October 2021.

According to Fox News, Onwuemelie was dubbed "Blue Cloth Bandit" by the Los Angeles Police Department in a press release because he allegedly "used a blue cloth to cover the handgun used in the robberies that occurred at gas stations, 7-11s, and Walmarts."

"The suspect would conceal himself by wearing different hats, a face mask, and rubber gloves. The same vehicle was used in many of the robberies, and the same suspect was linked to the robberies based on several factors."

Blue Cloth Bandit's most recent attempt occurred on September 23, when detectives devised a strategy involving surveillance and the execution of a search warrant.

Footage from Onwuemelie's most recent robbery According to surveillance footage released by the LAPD, the suspect appeared to buy items at a store before revealing his gun, which was wrapped in a blue cloth.

He was also seen in the video wearing blue gloves and a hat that covered his face.

Police recovered a firearm and other evidence from the scene of Onwuemelie's latest alleged robbery, linking him to the crime.

The suspect has been charged with 16 counts of robbery that allegedly occurred within the city limits of Los Angeles, though officials expect the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department to file additional charges for various other robberies that appear to have occurred within the county.