The bank rubber... Raider uses movie-style mask to disguise himself



As a gambit, it could have come straight out of a movie such as Mission: Impossible.

A white bank robber fooled police by carrying out a string of raids wearing a Hollywood-style rubber special effects mask and gloves that made him look like a black man.

Conrad Zdzierak, 30, targeted four banks and a chemist within the space of three hours by slipping in and out of the sophisticated disguise.

Disguise: Police claim Conrad Zdierak, left, wore an African-America full face 'Hollywood' mask, right, to carry out six robberies in Ohio



The mask was so professional that police released security video footage from one of the banks with an urgent appeal for information from anyone who recognised the apparently black suspect.

Zdzierak was even arrested after one of the raids and charged with carrying a concealed weapon - but he was freed on bail because officers had no reason to think he was anything to do with the sudden spate of robberies in the area.

Cashiers held up in Ohio said they did not have a clue they were being duped because the mask covered Zdzierak's neck and even showed hair on a black chest.

Fooled: CCTV footage of Zdzierak allegedly wearing the mask while carrying out a bank robbery

He also used life-like gloves to cover his hands and forearms.

Zdzierak carried out six audacious raids in total, five of them on the same day, April 9.

Camouflage: The special effects mask costs about £450

Local TV stations nicknamed him the 'hairless bandit' because he appeared to be bald and clean-shaven.

The silicon disguise, advertised in fancy dress costume shops as 'The Player', cost £450.

It was only when police spotted a Volvo parked outside a motel with its interior splattered with tell-tale red dye from a bag planted in the stolen money that they learned the truth.

Officers fired at Zdzierak's pitbull when it attacked them as they broke into his motel room in Springdale, Ohio, on Wednesday.

They then found him hiding in the toilet. On the bed they found the mask, clothing worn in the robberies and money with serial numbers matching the stolen cash.

Lieutenant Michael Mathis, of Springdale Police, said he believed Zdzierak took off the mask as soon as he carried out one robbery, driving to his next target as a white man before putting his disguise back on to pose as a black man again.

Zdzierak is now being held on six counts of aggravated robbery.