White bank robber disguised as black male

Photo of Conrad Zdzierak with and without mask.

Two days ago, a friend shared a compelling article on Facebook. The article tells the story of Conrad Zdzierak - a white bank robber in Ohio who disguised like a black man during his robberies.

He allegedly robbed four banks before he was arrested in April 2010. Yes, this happened way back in April but it's a story worth retelling - in case you missed it.

As you'd expect, the police went looking for an African-American suspect. Fortunately, no case of wrongful arrest was reported., but you can only imagine what could have happened if Conrad left no trace.

He confidently and successfully robbed four banks because he was aware of the fact that police officers were on the lookout for the "usual suspects". This case echoes wrongful arrests and convictions in the United States and beyond, and challenges the authorities to broaden the scope of investigations.

The disguise was, arguably, a calculated attempt by 30-year old  Conrad Zdzierak to evade justice and further stigmatize a vulnerable group of people.

Share

Tweet