'Freedom Fighter Bandit' Busted In Nashville: FBI

NASHVILLE, TN -- A woman arrested in Nashville Saturday and suspected of holding up a Crossville credit union is the so-called "Freedom Fighter Bandit," the FBI said Monday, and is wanted for a string of bank heists in Georgia and Tennessee.

Federal agents and Metro Police apprehended Nilsa Marie Urena, 25, at Nashville's Greyhound bus station Saturday afternoon following a robbery of the Upper Cumberland Credit Union in Crossville. The FBI believes Urena robbed at least nine banks, mostly in the Atlanta metro area, always claiming to do so for a social cause, thus her sobriquet.

Investigators say the robberies followed a pattern: Urena entered the banks, passed a note claiming to have a bomb and warning tellers not to call police. In most cases, she then used a getaway driver she found on the internet.

But Saturday's robbery broke the pattern.

After passing a note reading "bomb: 20 minutes: no cops: Allah" to a teller at the Crossville credit union, she fled the bank with $1,000 cash.

Nashville's U.S. Attorney, Donald Cochran, told Fox 17 that she was spotted by bank employees and passers-by changing clothes behind a nearby grocery store and getting into a car. This time, investigators say, Urena used a car service for her getaway and police were able to track down the driver and called his cell phone, urged him to remain calm and explained who his passenger was.

The driver texted law enforcement with instructions on how to access his computer so they could learn where Urena asked to be dropped off, Cochran told the station, and police were waiting at the Greyhound station when she arrived.

The FBI says they found a purple wig inside Urena's backpack, along with other disguises she'd used in the robberies and another demand note.

Image via FBI Atlanta Field Office