Ep 11. Robin the Hood

In season 7 episode 11 of The FBI Files, titled "Robin the Hood," the focus is on a serial bank robber who targets small towns in the Midwest. The episode opens with a reconstruction of one of the robberies, showing a man in a ski mask entering a bank, pointing a gun at the tellers, and demanding money. The man gets away with several thousand dollars and disappears into the surrounding countryside.

The FBI gets involved in the case after the third robbery, which takes place in a small town in rural Indiana. Special Agent Michael Johnson is assigned to lead the investigation, and he and his team start by analyzing the pattern of the robberies. They quickly realize that the perpetrator, who has been dubbed "Robin the Hood" by the local media, is very methodical and has a specific routine that he follows.

The team also notices that Robin the Hood seems to have a personal vendetta against banks, claiming that they have mistreated him in the past. The agents start looking into the backgrounds of past bank employees who may have crossed paths with the robber in the past, and they soon identify a former teller named Jim Nelson as a possible suspect.

Nelson had been let go from a bank in Illinois several years earlier and had reportedly harbored a grudge against the institution ever since. When the agents interview Nelson, he denies any involvement in the robberies, but the team still keeps him on their radar.

As the investigation progresses, the team gets a break when a witness reports seeing a suspicious vehicle in the area of one of the robberies. The agents track down the car and find evidence inside that links it to Nelson. They also find a loaded gun and ski mask, indicating that Nelson may be preparing for another robbery.

The agents bring Nelson in for questioning again, and this time he cracks. He admits to being Robin the Hood and explains that he had been planning the robberies for years. He had carefully selected small towns with weak or non-existent police departments, and he had developed a routine that he believed would make him almost impossible to catch.

Nelson had also kept meticulous records of his robberies, which he used to improve his techniques and avoid detection. He had even gone so far as to build a mock-up of a bank in his basement, where he practiced timing his movements and perfecting his escape routes.

The episode ends with Nelson being sentenced to several years in federal prison for his crimes. The FBI agents express relief that he is off the streets and that they were able to bring him to justice before he could cause any more harm.

Overall, "Robin the Hood" is a compelling episode of The FBI Files, showcasing the hard work and dedication of law enforcement officers in tracking down a serial criminal. The episode also provides insight into the mind of a criminal mastermind, revealing the extensive planning and preparation that went into each of the robberies. Fans of true crime stories and police procedurals are sure to enjoy this gripping episode.