A robber dressed as Santa Claus robbed a metro Nashville bank.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Ever wonder why the FBI gives bank robbers nicknames, like “Thug in a Rug,” “Snowbird Bandit,” and “Sabbatical Bandit?”

It’s quite simple, the FBI said.

“The Safe Streets Task Force comes up with nicknames for bank robbers, first of all, so we can internally refer to them easily,” Seattle FBI spokesperson Ayne Deitrich-Williams said. “There are a lot of bank robbers, and when somebody stands out with the same MO, then it’s easy to slap a name on them. In this case, somebody wearing a wig.”

“We also like to use the nickname when we talk to the public because we want something to stand out in the public’s mind,” she said. “If they are a witness to one of these robberies, they would know it’s not just any person acting suspiciously, it’s a known bank robber so pay attention to note any details.”

The FBI said it’s effective.