Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. used in combs. as a generic for a minor criminal practising a particular speciality.

1961		(con. 1950s) J. Peacock Valhalla 249: Brass bandits [...] clamored on the heels of the marines, scooping up the expended cartridges as fast as they were fired.
1969		F. Norman in Daily Tel. Mag. May in Norman’s London (1969) 234: The milk bandit is given a censorious lecture and sent to prison for six months.
1975		J. Wambaugh Choirboys (1976) 109: ‘We ever get a limp dick bandit around here he’ll be a prime suspect.’ ‘Very funny, Potts.’.
1979		F. Norman Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper 113: I won’t give the time of day to gas-meter bandits.
1984		V. Darroch On Coast 36: Beer Bandit: A low [...] form of marine life that frequents and patronizes unmanned bars and beer fridges.
1985		S. Berkoff West in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 110: These chicks [...] would be booked up by other snatch-bandits.
1995		J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 112: Down Leicester Square you got bag bandits.
2000		Indep. 5 Feb. 9: We hope this is the beginning of the end for the burger bandits and their stinking barrows.

2. in combs., a homosexual, see arse bandit n., arsehole bandit under arsehole n.

3. an obsessive, a user.

1999

Observer Mag. 5 Sept. 34: A deep-thinking, soft-spoken 20-year-old BMX bandit.