Ex-cop and Vietnam veteran Athelston Kelson, 59, turned to the other side of the long arm of the law and changed the catch-phrase  “You have the right to remain silent” for the equally popular “You have ten seconds to give me the cash.” 

He was jailed Friday in Queens County Criminal Court, as he was found guilty in the string of bank robberies in Queens and Long Island over the past 2 1/2 months.

Bank employees picked him out of a police lineup, which wasn’t so hard, considering he took no precautions as to concealing his identity at the time of the hold ups. He did, however, sport a rather peculiar collection of flashy jewelry for an armed robber, including gold chains and the ring detectives customarily receive on retiring from the NYPD, which led to his criminal nick-name of 'Bling Bandit'.

However, friends and family, although in complete shock, say they are supporting Kelson, for he was going through a very difficult time ever since his divorce and the more recent terminal liver cancer diagnostic.

Detective Kenny Sparks, secretary of the Detectives' Endowment Association, where Kelson was a ranking official before his 2005 retirement states: "This is not about money. He was sick. He's not the same. I know he was frightened of the cancer. I know he was hurting.”

Kelson’s  mother, Hilda, 85, of Randallstown, Md., also supports the theory of ulterior motives for his son’s actions and says that “he was never the same” after his Army service and that  "He's been having problems mentally for a long time." Both friends and family think Kelson’s actions were more of a cry for help, rather than a twist in personality.