Fugitive, Captured Once By AMW Tipsters, Goes On The Run Again

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Robert Falkner at a campsite

A fugitive who was captured after an AMW tipster led U.S. Marshals to the Reno, Nev. hotel where he was staying, is once again on the run.

Cops say 34-year-old Robert Falkner vanished after posting bail in June 2008.  A judge issued a warrant for Falkner's arrest after he failed to appear for a July court hearing. 

Falkner was featured on AMW on January 5, 2008.  A half-hour after the show, a tipster called AMW with information that led cops directly to the hotel where Falkner, his pregnant wife and children were staying.  After Marshals conducted surveillance and confirmed that Falkner and his family were registered guests, they stormed in and arrested Falkner.

Falkner was taken into custody without incident.

At the time of his arrest, authorities told AMW that Falkner, who was dressed in his boxer shorts, appeared as if he was a deer caught in headlights, and asked, "How did you guys find me?"

Falkner made his way into the AMW pantheon of fugitives for assaulting a Los Altos, Calif. police officer.  He also had numerous warrants in several other states for scamming innocent victims of tens of thousands of dollars.  Cops say Falkner frequently posed as a Catholic priest or Buddhist tourist to prey on his victims.

According to detectives, Falkner was extradited from Nevada to Marin County, Calif. where he answered to fraud charges.  Later, he was extradited to Santa Clara County, Calif. where he faced the assault and fraud charges that got him featured on AMW in the first place.

Cops say Falkner has probably reunited with his wife and children.  While incarcerated, Falkner told cops that he wanted to return to Northern Virginia, where he was from, and buy a home.

Suspected Swindler Sought In Six States

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Robert Falkner

Falkner's troubles with cops began in March 2007.

A Los Altos, Calif. couple had a nagging feeling that something wasn't right when Robert Falkner showed up at their home on March 1.  Police say hours earlier, Falkner used the Internet to locate Buddhists in an upscale town near the San Francisco Bay.  Posing as a Buddhist tourist, Falkner told his unsuspecting victims that he was visiting the United States and his luggage and money were lost.  Cops say Falkner was out scamming for cash.

The couple became suspicious when Falkner and his family showed up at their home.  Falkner didn't look like a tourist.  The car that he and his family were traveling in was packed.  They didn't appear to be short-term travelers.  The couple acted on their suspicion and called police.

When police arrived, Falkner fled.  In his fury to escape, Falkner rammed his vehicle into the black and white patrol car that was blocking the driveway.  The uniformed police officer, who at the time was exiting his car, had to jump to his safety.  Falkner, with his wife and three young children also in the car, led police on a high speed chase, with speeds reaching 80 miles per hour on city streets.  Fearing innocent bystanders and Falkner's own children could be injured, police called off the pursuit.

During the chase, the luggage carrier atop Falkner's car dislodged.  Police in the neighboring city of San Carlos recovered it.  The contents of the carrier provided police with important clues that helped them identify the fugitive as Robert Falkner.

Cops: Vagabond Family Survives By Swindling Money

Five days later, on March 6, 2007, Falkner ran the same scam on the Buddhist community of Malibu, California -- some 365 miles away.  This time, Falkner walked away with $970.00.  Falkner has been running this scam since 1996, starting in New Jersey and making his way across the United States.  Police in Virginia, Ohio, Oregon, Washington and at least six cities in California also want Falkner behind bars.  In each scam, he receives several hundred dollars.  In addition to posing as a Buddhist tourist, Falkner also impersonates a Catholic priest and minister. 

Falkner and his family are vagabonds.  They live out of their car and are known to frequently stay at campgrounds.  Police say Falkner is likely to be in California and is traveling in a blue Mitsubishi Lancer with Virginia license plates.  Police believe the plate number is XZB 1688.

AMW Capture #1036

Suspected Con Man Back Behind Bars In Virginia

Twice, AMW tipsters helped cops arrest Robert Falkner, who was first captured after being featured on AMW in January 2008. Six months later, after posting bail, Falkner failed to show up for a court hearing and a judge issued a new warrant for his arrest.

Cops again called AMW for help to capture Falkner for a second time, and as before, an AMW tipster gave authorities the crucial tip to capture Falkner again.  U.S. Marshals arrested Falkner on Sept. 20, 2008 at a hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

Falkner, 35, vanished from Northern California after posting bail in June 2008. He had been charged with assaulting a police officer in Los Altos, Calif.  Falkner was also wanted in several states for fraud charges.

After posting bail, Falkner even tried to con his bondsman by sending a letter which said that he intended to flee to Japan and Thailand.  In the letter to the bond company, provided to AMW by cops working the case, Falkner wrote that he did not think he could win the case and wouldn’t be able to care for his family.

“I have a better job opportunity overseas," Falkner explained. "I regret to inconvenience this company."

However, cops say the letter turned out to be just another hoax to get authorities off his trail.

Before disappearing, Falkner told cops that he planned to reunite with his wife and children and buy a house in Northern Virginia. As it turns out, Falkner had actually tried to make good on that dream.

Indeed, Falkner did reunite with his family and they were shacked up at a Residence Inn in Arlington, Va.  Detectives say Falkner was paying cash for his hotel room. From the Virginia hotel, cops say, Falkner was running another scam.

U.S. Marshals were able to use information provided by the AMW tipster to track Falkner directly to the hotel where he was staying.  Falkner was taken into custody without incident.  

Authorities say, just like in his previous capture in Reno, Nev., Falkner was reportedly caught off-guard.  At the time of the arrest, Marshals say Falkner told his wife, “Honey, it's all over. We don't have to run anymore."