BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – She’s accused of being the “Blond Bandit” who robbed banks in Connecticut and New York, but Pamela Kaichen’s hair was jet black as she made a shaky appearance in federal court on Monday.

Kaichen allegedly wore a wig during the crimes. She fell down when she was asked to stand up during the brief court proceeding.

“Why don’t you sit down for a minute,” the judge said. “Would you like some water?”

Kaichen sat down and held her hand on her face as she took a sip of water. It was not clear why she fell down.

Kaichen, a horseback-riding coach, appeared in U.S. District Court on charges she robbed two banks in Newtown and Danbury. She also is charged in New York with two bank robberies in Shrub Oak and Scarsdale.

A public defender was appointed for Kaichen, and she was ordered to return to court on June 30 for a probable cause hearing. She did not enter a plea and was denied bail.

Kaichen, who limped into court wearing black high heels, walked unsteadily out of court.

Authorities believe Kaichen robbed a total of six banks. The complaint in New York says Kaichen admitted pulling the May 21 robberies and four more bank jobs in Connecticut the next day.

During the Newtown heist, a witness said the robber put a blond wig in a red car while leaving, police said.

The tellers in New York who were interviewed by the FBI identified the robber as a blond woman – matching a bank surveillance photo. Prosecutors in New York said a blond wig was found in a search, but did not say where.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Kaichen told tellers during the robberies that she had a weapon and had lost someone in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Danbury police officer Paul Carroccio said that at about 10 a.m., May 22, he pulled Kaichen over for not wearing a seat belt and gave her a ticket. He said she was wearing a long blond wig, a baseball cap and a hooded yellow raincoat, a description similar to one given by a witness to the Newtown bank robbery.

Hours after Carroccio gave her the ticket, Kaichen robbed the banks in Newtown and Danbury, police said.

Danbury police Chief Bob Paquette said the bank robberies were unusual. He said a bank robber usually leaves the area immediately after the crime, but Kaichen pulled off four heists in the same general area the same day.

“It’s just bizarre behavior,” Paquette said.

Federal prosecutors in New York said Kaichen’s last known address was in Chappaqua, N.Y., but a former landlord told authorities that Kaichen had moved to Tarrytown, N.Y., last year.

Lendon Gray, who owns a riding stable in Bedford, N.Y., knew Kaichen while growing up in Maine. Kaichen worked at Gray’s stable, giving riding lessons during the winter of 2001. Gray described Kaichen as a popular and dedicated teacher.

“She really went the extra mile with her students,” Gray said in an interview Monday. “I’m just incredibly surprised and shocked. Perhaps she was in a desperate situation where she felt this was her only way out.”

Gray said many details of Kaichen’s life were a mystery, and Kaichen had a tendency to exaggerate.

For example, Kaichen claimed to have volunteered every day at ground zero after the terrorist attacks, when she only went there occasionally, Gray said.

Also, Kaichen often talked about her boyfriend, although nobody ever saw him, Gray said.

Gray said she was not aware of Kaichen losing a loved one in the terrorist attacks.

“Perhaps she was making herself a little more important,” Gray said.

Kaichen told Gray that she had a consulting business and claimed her business partner had “cleaned her out,” Gray said.

Kaichen, according to a witness statement in the affidavit, had financial problems with her business and someone stole a large amount of money from her.

“I wonder if she really had this business. I have no idea,” Gray said.