Forensic psychologist and criminologist take a look into the mind of notorious bicycle bandit

EXPERTS disagree on whether he is a local or from interstate, but believe the so-called Bicycle Bandit is a calculating and sophisticated criminal who has eluded police for a decade.

EXPERTS disagree on whether he is a local or from interstate, but all believe the so-called ­Bicycle Bandit is a calculating, sophisticated criminal who has eluded police for a decade.

The Advertiser has interviewed experts who say the escalation in violence in the bandit’s latest robbery is a serious concern.

Leading forensic psychologist Jack White and criminologist David Caruso have profiled the notorious armed robber, who is now believed responsible for 11 bank robberies since 2004.

During the latest robbery at the Mount Pleasant BankSA on Thursday, September 4 — believed to be the work of the bandit — shots were fired while he made his escape.

Dr White, who psychologically assesses armed robbery offenders, said the increase in violence was worrying.

“Anything that involves firearms is always something very serious,” Dr White said.

“The fact that you’ve got a weapon is pretty frightening, but if you allow it to go off then that’s another step. It is an escalation in terms of the obvious threats and genuine intention.”

Dr White said the Bicycle Bandit was far more calculating than typical offenders.

“Most (armed robbery) offenders are fairly impulsive and just not very sophisticated in the way they go about it, so they tend to get caught very easily,” he said.

“They are very naive in terms of their planning ...

“Whereas this person seems to be a little bit more considered in terms of his organisation and planning, which might suggest he’s a different type of offender.”

Dr White said armed robbery and drug addictions went hand-in-hand.

However, the repeat offending of the Bicycle Bandit did not fit the mould of a robber addicted to amphetamines.

“Most of the people who do this type of offence tend to be people who have got some sort of drug addiction,” he said.

“There’s a distinction between people who are addicted to amphetamines, who are high-power energy and they are impulsive and they go in and are aggressive,” he said.

“Perhaps you might have someone who is more of a heroin addict who might just be considered, thoughtful, reflective and organised.

“They are two quite different types of drugs and two quite different types of offenders, perhaps.”

Victims of the man have said that he has a firm but polite manner, and is particularly familiar with bank terminology and the branches he has robbed.

Dr White said it was likely the man had banking or security experience and lived locally.

“Most offenders tend to offend in the area they are most familiar,” he said.

“My hunch would be that he is probably (living) in the region, rather than somebody from the city.”

It is widely suspected the Bicycle Bandit, or Hills Bandit returned last Thursday when a man walked into the BankSA branch on Melrose St, Mount Pleasant, about 11.40am, wielding a rifle and demanding money. He fired three shots before fleeing out a back door with cash.

It was the third time the branch had been robbed since 2005 and if, as suspected, it was the serial robber, it marked his first heist since June 2009.

SA Police letterboxed 1000 Mount Pleasant residents on Wednesday reminding them of the $100,000 reward on offer for information leading to the successful arrest and conviction of the Bicycle Bandit.

Adelaide University’s director of Litigation and Law Unit, David Caruso, said police might well be investigating similar crimes interstate where the offender could reside.

“Given those communities are quite small there is a strong basis to say that this offender is not local and indeed even an interstate offender,” he said.

“Then it becomes a matter of conducting a wider police investigation to determine whether or not offending of this type is taking place in regional areas across the country — because that is one way to explain ... the time frame of the crimes occurring.”

Mr Caruso said that, generally, serial offenders such as the Bicycle Bandit, assuming it is him committing these crimes, were quite intelligent.

“They tend to be high functioning, astute, intelligent people — hence why they can commit crimes over a period of time without detection. In a nutshell, it’s very difficult to characterise the mind of a serial offender because generally they are highly intelligent people but other than that you wouldn’t be able to pick them out of a crowd.

“It’s being done in a calculated way to obtain money. Generally someone who offends in that way, this is how they make their money, they’re not returning to full-time work after the crime.

“Drug addicts are compelled to offend to function out of the need to satisfy a habit or urge they have. Looking at the time frame of these crimes — this is not a person looking to satisfy an immediate urge.

“This is all assuming it is one person committing all of these robberies in the Adelaide Hills.”

Victims’ Rights Commissioner Michael O’Connell said the bandit’s impacts on victims would be profound.

“Nobody expects to be a victim of armed robbery,” he said. “Often there is nothing the victim can do to avoid the robbery; and this lack of control is one of the most difficult things for victims to accept.

“Such violence is sudden, upsetting and shocking — it just doesn’t make sense.”

Mr O’Connell said victims often became angry and depressed as they grappled to deal with their ordeals.

“The effects of such violence can be profound, some say crippling,” he said. “For some victims, coping with violent crime can be a long, painful process.”