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CNN Live Today
Bonnie and Clyde Sequel?
Aired August 21, 2003 - 11:21 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The 1967 film, "Bonnie and Clyde," told the story of the depression-era robbers, whose crimes became the stuff of legend. Right? Well, now, the FBI says a modern-day version of this couple has been captured in South Africa, of all places.
The FBI says Craig Pritchert and Nova Guthrie held up a dozen banks all across the western United States during the late 1990s. Agents say this pair often wore disguises during a robbery, and they used two-way radios to talk to partners on the outside.
Susan Herskovits is an FBI special agent in Phoenix, who worked on this case, and she joins us now to give us some insight.
Good to see you this morning. This has got to be something of a surprise to you. Can you tell us exactly what these people were caught in South Africa doing?
SUSAN HERSKOVITS, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Good morning. They were actually apprehended in their home, but we do know that Nova Guthrie was working as the manager of an upscale nightclub called the Bosanova (ph).
HARRIS: And you have been looking for them for how long?
HERSKOVITS: Since they did their first robbery in August of 1997.
HARRIS: Any idea how or when they went to South Africa?
HERSKOVITS: At this point, we don't really know. Once we realized that they were in South Africa, the whole focus became making just sure we got them without incident, and that worked out.
HARRIS: So, were they robbing banks in South Africa too? Or were they just over there running a nightclub?
HERSKOVITS: We don't have any information about them committing crime in South Africa.
HARRIS: What led you there?
HERSKOVITS: Well, we were acting on a tip we received at the FBI in Phoenix. And I want to thank you for saying that I was involved in the investigation, but I have to say that I wasn't. But we have an agent who worked it for years and a Mesa police detective who did, and after years of investigation, we're all really thrilled that we have these two in custody. HARRIS: Yes, I bet you are. OK, give us the details. How many banks did they rob and how much money do you think they got away with?
HERSKOVITS: Well, they robbed banks in six different states in the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest, and we don't put out the amount of money that is taken in bank robberies.
HARRIS: All right, while you were talking here, we've got some surveillance camera tape here of one of the robbers -- robberies, rather, that they're accused of, and this one happening up in Washington State. So, they targeted basically just Western states in the U.S.?
HERSKOVITS: That's correct. They hit from Montana to Texas to Bend, Oregon, to Phoenix, Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona.
HARRIS: Yes? And how much of a priority was finding this couple?
HERSKOVITS: They were a high priority, because they had a robbery streak going that was very violent. A gun was used in every robbery. People had guns pointed at them. At times, they were bound. It was, in our mind, a very violent bank robbery streak, and we wanted to make sure we got them in custody to face the consequences.
HARRIS: Did they ever communicate at all to those of you who were looking for them? Did they ever brag about what they were doing and, I guess, sort of flaunting what they were getting away with?
HERSKOVITS: I don't know that they really flaunted what they got away with. Nova Guthrie was in contact with the FBI in Colorado at one point.
HARRIS: So, when do you expect to have them back in the U.S.? Or do you?
HERSKOVITS: Well, our best estimate is that they will be back in about two weeks. Craig Pritchert will be brought to Arizona to face a charge here. Nova Guthrie, who is not charged in Arizona, will be sent to Colorado.
HARRIS: There you go. See, folks? It just proves, once again, you can run, but you can't hide. Susan Herskovits, thank you very much, and congratulations to you and the rest of the folks there at the FBI on this capture.
HERSKOVITS: Thank you very much.
HARRIS: Nice going.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired August 21, 2003 - 11:21 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The 1967 film, "Bonnie and Clyde," told the story of the depression-era robbers, whose crimes became the stuff of legend. Right? Well, now, the FBI says a modern-day version of this couple has been captured in South Africa, of all places.
The FBI says Craig Pritchert and Nova Guthrie held up a dozen banks all across the western United States during the late 1990s. Agents say this pair often wore disguises during a robbery, and they used two-way radios to talk to partners on the outside.
Susan Herskovits is an FBI special agent in Phoenix, who worked on this case, and she joins us now to give us some insight.
Good to see you this morning. This has got to be something of a surprise to you. Can you tell us exactly what these people were caught in South Africa doing?
SUSAN HERSKOVITS, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Good morning. They were actually apprehended in their home, but we do know that Nova Guthrie was working as the manager of an upscale nightclub called the Bosanova (ph).
HARRIS: And you have been looking for them for how long?
HERSKOVITS: Since they did their first robbery in August of 1997.
HARRIS: Any idea how or when they went to South Africa?
HERSKOVITS: At this point, we don't really know. Once we realized that they were in South Africa, the whole focus became making just sure we got them without incident, and that worked out.
HARRIS: So, were they robbing banks in South Africa too? Or were they just over there running a nightclub?
HERSKOVITS: We don't have any information about them committing crime in South Africa.
HARRIS: What led you there?
HERSKOVITS: Well, we were acting on a tip we received at the FBI in Phoenix. And I want to thank you for saying that I was involved in the investigation, but I have to say that I wasn't. But we have an agent who worked it for years and a Mesa police detective who did, and after years of investigation, we're all really thrilled that we have these two in custody. HARRIS: Yes, I bet you are. OK, give us the details. How many banks did they rob and how much money do you think they got away with?
HERSKOVITS: Well, they robbed banks in six different states in the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest, and we don't put out the amount of money that is taken in bank robberies.
HARRIS: All right, while you were talking here, we've got some surveillance camera tape here of one of the robbers -- robberies, rather, that they're accused of, and this one happening up in Washington State. So, they targeted basically just Western states in the U.S.?
HERSKOVITS: That's correct. They hit from Montana to Texas to Bend, Oregon, to Phoenix, Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona.
HARRIS: Yes? And how much of a priority was finding this couple?
HERSKOVITS: They were a high priority, because they had a robbery streak going that was very violent. A gun was used in every robbery. People had guns pointed at them. At times, they were bound. It was, in our mind, a very violent bank robbery streak, and we wanted to make sure we got them in custody to face the consequences.
HARRIS: Did they ever communicate at all to those of you who were looking for them? Did they ever brag about what they were doing and, I guess, sort of flaunting what they were getting away with?
HERSKOVITS: I don't know that they really flaunted what they got away with. Nova Guthrie was in contact with the FBI in Colorado at one point.
HARRIS: So, when do you expect to have them back in the U.S.? Or do you?
HERSKOVITS: Well, our best estimate is that they will be back in about two weeks. Craig Pritchert will be brought to Arizona to face a charge here. Nova Guthrie, who is not charged in Arizona, will be sent to Colorado.
HARRIS: There you go. See, folks? It just proves, once again, you can run, but you can't hide. Susan Herskovits, thank you very much, and congratulations to you and the rest of the folks there at the FBI on this capture.
HERSKOVITS: Thank you very much.
HARRIS: Nice going.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
