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Family Could Get Big Reward For Helping Catch Bank Robber

AUBURN (CBS13) - You could call it a bad hair day. A serial bank robber known as the "Bad Hair Bandit" is behind bars thanks to one family, according to the FBI.

"She took off right out here. Almost hit two cars taking off," said Bill Steele, who helped catch the suspect.

A homeless family who set up camp in a parking lot gave police all they needed to catch their suspect, and they're hoping their good deed pays off.

"We hate people who steal," said Steele.

Bill's wife, Rose Silveira, could be about to profit off a prolific bank robber. The suspect is accused of hitting 20 stores across the west coast. The last one is a Bank of the West in Auburn.

"Nobody in four states could catch them, and we happened to be sitting in the right place at the right time," said Silveira.

The couple's daughter spotted the bandit leave the bank.

"She goes, 'oh my God mom, she's got a bundle of something,'" said Silveira.

The suspect walked right up to them, hopping in the getaway car parked next to their trailer.

"She took off right out here almost hit two cars taking off," said Steele.

But before she drove off, Steele got a partial plate, make, model, and color. He walked right up to cops just rushing to the scene.

"And I told him, 'come here I got all the information you need,'" said Steele.

An officer spotted the car on I-80 and Rocklin Road and arrested the woman the FBI would identify as the "Bad Hair Bandit."

"It just happened so fast," said Steele.

"The sheriff came by the next day and was looking for us and told us, 'we're going to get you guys a reward for this,'" said Silveira.

The couple is now eligible for a $16,000 dollar reward -- cash they desperately need.

"Nobody will give us a job because we don't have an address," said Steele.

Bill used to install floors, but now he's happy to get the occasional odd job. Now, he's helping to clean up crime.

They saying goes: crime doesn't pay, but for bill and his family it just might

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