Dentist With Revoked License Accused Of Robbing Banks As 'Rolled Sleeves Bandit'

SANTA MONICA (CBSLA.com) — A man suspected of robbing seven banks worked as a dentist until his license was revoked last year.

Damian Loren Newhart, 38, of Newport Beach, was arrested Thursday following a tip from someone who saw a published report about the search for the Rolled Sleeves Bandit and recognized him as the robber, according to the FBI.

Santa Monica police conducting surveillance at a Newhart Dental Center, 3516 W. Imperial Highway in Inglewood, saw the suspect and arrested him about 4:45 p.m. Thursday.

The nature of Newhart's relationship to the Newhart Dental Center -- which has locations in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Los Angeles and two in Inglewood -- is not known.

According to the Dental Board of California, Newhart's license was revoked in July of last year. Newhart's license was revoked following his conviction for grand theft and passing bad checks in Orange County.

Over the course of Newhart's disciplinary review, the Dental Board found that Newhart prescribed Norco, diazepam, Vicodin, Valium, hydrocodone, Tussionex and Viagra to patients, non-patients and himself for non-medical purposes between June 4, 2011 and June 11, 2012.

A criminal complaint accuses Newhart of robbing a Citibank branch, 1505 Montana Ave., in Santa Monica on Jan. 14, in which he told a teller in the morning stickup that his girlfriend had a business account and wanted to know more about cashier's checks and money orders.

Then the robber put a piece of paper on the counter that threatened he had a gun and that he wanted 20s, 50s and 100s in the next 30 seconds, according to the FBI.

The teller handed over $3,880 before activating an alarm as the robber fled with the money.

Rolled Sleeves Bandit is suspected in a half dozen more robberies, including: a OneWest Bank branch, 1100 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach, of $1,674, on Nov. 14; a Citibank branch at 20981 Magnolia St., Huntington Beach, on Dec. 6, of about $3,013; a Citibank branch at 2710 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach, on Dec. 22, of about $7,149; a OneWest branch at 1630 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, on Jan. 26, of about $1,310; a Bank of the West branch, 19006 Brookhurst St., Huntington Beach, on Wednesday of about $1,066; and a U.S. Bank branch at 19900 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, on Wednesday, of about $3,000.

Newhart is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 13 for a preliminary hearing.

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