[1] After his release in 1946, Bowerman kept a low profile for several years, but he was eventually identified as one of several men who robbed a bank in South Bend, Indiana for $53,000 in September 1952.

The violent daylight robbery, much in the style of Thomas Holden or Alvin Karpis, attracted national attention in the United States as a bank employee was shot for "raising his hands too slowly".

As the robbers began firing at police through the windows, the bank employees hid in the vault to escape the firefight and tear gas thrown into the building.

One police officer, Corporal Robert L. Heitz (July 20, 1911 – December 31, 1993), was wounded in his head and neck, but eventually time began to work against the robbers.

[1] Bowerman took a female hostage, Eva Hamilton, and held a shotgun on her as he attempted to escape,[4] making his way out onto the sidewalk before he shoved the woman to the pavement, breaking both her wrists.

[1] The fourth member of the robbery team, one-time Marquette University college football star Glenn Chernick, the getaway driver, fled when police arrived.