Authorities Arrest "Silver Bandit" Who Stole Millions in Silver Across the South

Career criminal Blane David Nordahl, 51, was arrested Monday by authorities who believe he is responsible for a string of sterling silver thefts in Athens, Atlanta and across the Southeast.

According to a story in the Athens Banner Herald, Nordahl was living in Jacksonville, where he was on probation. He is said to have carried out more than 70 burglaries this year, taking silver worth more than $4 million, including $30,000 from Athens alone.

He was arrested in a town 30 miles from Jacksonville, the story says. 

Law enforcement officials think Nordahl broke into an historic plantation in North Carolina, according to the story, and took $145,000 worth of silver, including spoons made by Paul Revere that are considered priceless.

Nordahl's meticulous practices helped authorities identify him as a suspect, the story says. He would routinely remove putty from windows, dismantle alarms and take out door panels, never leaving fingerprints.