Police across the country are breathing a sigh of relief, now that two brothers are in jail

Larry Raifsnider and his brother Edward are notorious among law enforcement in dozens of states. <br/><br/>The Raifsnider brothers have led a life of crime that's put them among the nation's most

Tuesday, November 30th 2004, 10:36 am

By: News On 6

Larry Raifsnider and his brother Edward are notorious among law enforcement in dozens of states.

The Raifsnider brothers have led a life of crime that's put them among the nation's most wanted criminals for years. Edward was arrested in August after the News on 6 ran a story about local crimes.

With both brothers now in jail, the question now is which jurisdiction gets them first. As News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright explains prosecuting all their cases could take years, even decades.

Edward[pictured left] and Larry Raifsnider[pictured right], Tulsa Police say both are smooth talkers who have taken victims for millions.

Edward often bought cars with bad checks and created fake investment schemes. He's used 200 different identities and changed his appearance by gaining or losing up to 50 pounds and even getting hair implants. He's charged in Tulsa with bilking an American Airlines worker out of more than $100,000 plus stealing identities when he posed as a trucking company taking applications for drivers.

When he was arrested in Branson in August, US Marshals figured, one Raifsnider down, one to go, with the most dangerous one still out there. They say Larry Raifsnider was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. They say even Edward said this about his brother, "He wants to do bodily harm to somebody, he's got a problem. Larry has a long stream of the violent side."

Larry is wanted for kidnapping a woman in Carroll County, Arkansas in December of 2003 and demanding $90,000 in ransom from her husband, which he got. He's also wanted for luring an elderly couple to a flea market in Branson 11 months later, tying them up, demanding their cash and bank account information.

Police say Larry often found his victims by offering answering newspaper ads of RV's for sale. They also want to question him about burning a home down and writing $11,000 in forged checks.

Police in half of the US are breathing a sigh of relief that both brothers are now behind bars. The Tulsa victim was a man nearing retirement, whose wife had just died. Edward Raifsnider convinced him to invest a $110,000 in an investment. To do so, the man had to withdraw the money from his 401K. The investment was a lie and the man is now out his retirement money.

The Raifsniders also have family in southern Oklahoma.