Celia Roth Cooney (1904 – July 13, 1992) was an American who went on a robbing spree in the spring of 1924. Cooney robbed 10 buildings with her husband Ed Cooney before she was caught. She became known as the Bobbed Haired Bandit for her exploits. The robberies received significant media coverage, making headlines in The New York Times, the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Times, and others. The newspapers criticized commissioner Richard Enright and the New York City Police Department for their inability to catch Cooney. In response, Enright ordered the largest manhunt in the city's history, and still failed to catch Cooney. Cooney evaded capture for 65 days, eventually fleeing to Florida after a botched robbery of the payroll office of the National Biscuit Company. While in Florida, she gave birth to a child, who died several days later. She was caught in April 1924, and sentenced to twenty years in prison, of which she served seven. After leaving prison, she spent the rest of her life in relative obscurity, dying in 1992. Early life Celia Cooney was born in 1904. She ran away from her home in 1920. In 1922, she met Ed Cooney, with whom she fell in love. The couple married on May 18, 1923. Celia Cooney worked at the Ostrander Company, and Ed Cooney as a mechanic. After their marriage, Celia became pregnant. Robberies Her first robbery took place on January 5, 1924, when Cooney entered a Thomas Ralston grocery in Park Slope, and asked for a dozen eggs. She subsequently held up the store, and stole a total of 680 dollars. The robbery received a smattering of coverage in the Brooklyn Eagle and Brooklyn Citizen. Celia and Ed Cooney soon moved to 1099 Pacific Street. They spent the money quickly, and subsequently robbed an Atlantic and Pacific at 451 Ralph Avenue, and a H. C. Bohack store. In total, they netted about $365 from the two robberies. The New York Daily News and Telegram and Evening Mail covered the robberies, with the Mail coining the nickname "bobbed hair bandit". The robberies began to attract media attention, with newspapers ridiculing Richard Enright for his incapability to catch the bandit. On January 14, Enright announced that he had caught the bandit. He claimed that it was Helen Quigley, a twenty-three year old actress. Cooney subsequently left a message at a