Man believed to be ‘Snowboarder Bandit’ is arrested

The Irvine Police Department was part of a law enforcement team that was instrumental in the capture of the “Snowboarder Bandit,” a man believed to be the suspect in a series of bank robberies.

Riverside resident Michael B. Franks, 29, was apprehended Friday night based on information obtained by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI, which worked closely with Irvine police to catch him, according to an FBI news release.

The three agencies were part of a larger group known as the Bank Robbery Apprehension Team (BRAT), which investigated the robberies and worked together to catch Franks. BRAT included the Newport Beach Police Department and others throughout Orange, Ventura and Riverside counties.

Media coverage and bank surveillance photos of the bandit were also instrumental in developing leads throughout the investigation, according to the release.

Franks will remain in custody until next week, when he’s expected to be charged.

— Mona Shadia

Twitter: @MonaShadia