'Make Yourself at Home Bandit’ charged in Seattle as nationwide manhunt continues

An alleged serial robber at the center of a nationwide manhunt, known as the “Make Yourself At Home Bandit,” was criminally charged by King County prosecutors this week after investigators say he robbed an employee at gunpoint at the AMC movie theater in Seattle’s U District neighborhood.

Lloyd Rhodes is wanted in connection to at least 14 robberies in nine states since last year, according to investigators, who said the FBI is involved in the search to catch him.

Rhodes is known as the “Make Yourself At Home Bandit” because investigators say he likes to hide out in businesses overnight and rob unsuspecting employees the next day.

“He’s a calculating criminal,” said FBI Seattle spokesperson Steve Bernd in an interview with KIRO 7. “He’s a prolific robber and the fact that he’s robbing people, armed and dangerous, makes him a priority for us to get him off the streets.”

Rhodes is known to disguise himself as a janitor or worker and investigators say he’s also known to then steal his victims’ cars.

According to charging papers filed by King County prosecutors, Rhodes was captured on surveillance video walking around the AMC movie theater in the U District wearing gloves and holding a broom in September 2019 before the theater had opened for the day to the public.

There were two employees inside the locked theater at the time preparing for the day ahead and had no idea Rhodes was inside with them, charging papers said.

Charing papers say Rhodes then confronted one worker who told police he had a gun and threatened to shoot her before demanding she open a safe. He allegedly got away with $7,000 from the theater.

KIRO 7’s sister station reported on a robbery last month that police said Rhodes committed in Pennsylvania.

The FBI said a reward of up to $15,000 is being offered for information that leads to Rhodes’ arrest. Tips can be sent anonymously to 727-913-STOP.

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