Richard Earl Rupert, also known as the ‘nephew bandit,’ has been arrested at a local hospital on Wednesday.
Fifty-seven-year-old Rupert has been staying at the hospital under an assumed name of Jerry Whitehead since the end of June.
An alert hospital staff member recognized him from a mug shot.
Rupert was featured on “America’s Most Wanted” and other investigative shows. Police have been looking for him across Canada for the last five years.
He was wanted on 18 warrants in three Canadian provinces.
It is alleged Rupert befriended the elderly by pretending to be a family member.
He would then con them out of their money, promising to repay the debt.
“This person viewed these people as an easy target,” says Sgt. Randy Fincham with Vancouver police. “He pretended to be a distance relative, and had trust from these people.”
Fincham could not specify how much money Rupert obtained from his victims.
Police are now investigating files dating back to 2010, and will be following up on any other tips.
“This person has a pattern of having a very elusive behaviour, where he managed to change his name and identity and move form city to city and province to province to avoid getting captured,” said Fincham.
Rupert has now been arrested on the following warrants:
• Five counts of fraud, Vancouver Police Department
• Fraud, Victoria Police Department
• Fraud, New Westminster Police Department
• Fraud, White Rock RCMP
• Two counts of fraud, Langley RCMP
• Fraud, personation and theft, Durham Regional Police Service
• Fraud, Niagara Regional Police
• Fraud, London Police Service
• Fraud, Medicine Hat Police Service
• Two counts of fraud and two counts of theft under $5,000, Hamilton Police Services
• Fraud, Waterloo Regional Police Service
• Two counts of fraud and one count of personation, Ottawa Police Service
• Robbery, B&E and three counts of attempted fraud, Toronto Police Service
He is currently in police custody.
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