FBI: Bank robber no match for bodybuilder

"Old School" was expelled Friday, thanks to a world-class body builder.

It all happened in Lynnwood when a robber, known to the FBI as the"Old School Bandit" because of a bandanna he always wore across his face — an old-school disguise — tried to rob a Banner Bank.

He was ambushed by a customer who just happens to be a top bodybuilder, Todd Jewell, 26, of Yakima.

"This guy [Old School] was elusive and I applaud him [Jewell]," FBI agent Larry Carr, who is based in Seattle. "This is one of those cases where every week since this guy started hitting I had to e-mail (warnings) to banks. Now I don't have to do this thanks to Mr. Jewell."

Carr said the Old School robber, identified as Chadwick Asheim of Seattle, is a suspect in nine bank robberies in the past two months, all in the Seattle area.

On Friday, he walked into a Banner Bank office on 188th Street Southwest in Lynnwood and told the teller, "Give me the money, give me the money, right now."

Jewell, who was in the bank with his wife, heard the threat and grabbed Asheim, pulling him away from the teller. "He was in quite the fight for his life," said Carr. "If caught inside the bank he'd go to jail for life. It was quite the struggle."

Jewell was able to subdue the man until police arrived, Carr said. Asheim was taken to the hospital for broken ribs and cuts and will be transferred to federal custody. Carr said charges likely will be filed on Monday.

Carr said a warrant was out for Asheim, who supposedly is homeless, for leaving a halfway house, and agents thought he might be responsible for the bank robberies, but they couldn't catch him.

Jewell, on his Web site, said he just completed his first national level bodybuilding competition and took 7th in the heavyweight class and was named Amateur of the Week on a bodybuilding Web site.

He said he's been bodybuilding for five years, and started lifting at age 14. He said he weighs 254 pounds.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com