Crime Time

Citizen arrest: Bedford resident pulls robbery suspect from getaway car

A Bedford resident acted quickly last week to stop a man who is suspected of robbing a local bank.

The resident, who wasn't identified, pulled the suspect out of a getaway car that crashed near the bank and held him until patrol officers arrived.

Read a full report from Domingo Ramirez Jr.

— Bill Miller

'Mesh Mask Bandit' targets Tarrant County with heist in Arlington

The "Mesh Mask Bandit," who is believed to have held up 14 North Texas banks and a credit union, has struck in Tarrant County.

The FBI says he robbed a Citibank Tuesday in Arlington.

The FBI released a composite drawing of the suspect (shown here) based on a witness description.

The witness saw the man's face before he pulled the mesh mask over his face, according to the FBI agents.

 

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/04/03/4746855/authorites-believe-mesh-mask-bandit.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy

 

Of course there is a reward.

Domingo Ramirez Jr. reports.

— Bill Miller

FWPD seeks public's help finding north-side bank robber

The Bank of Texas, 3200 Heritage Trace Parkway, was robbed Tuesday afternoon and Fort Worth police seek the public’s help in identifying a suspect.

Police say the man walked into the bank and demanded money. He indicated he had a gun. And then he left with money.

Read more in Deanna Boyd’s report about the man’s description. There also is information about how to be eligible for a reward.

— Bill Miller

 

'Bucket List Bandit' conniving, family says

Relatives of a man whom the FBI dubbed the "Bucket List Bandit" because he told victims he was suffering from a terminal illness say they were not surprised he again landed on the wrong side of the law.

Michael Brewster, 54, (right) was arrested last week after running a stop sign near a casino at Roland, Okla.

Court records show the accused bank robber has a long history of run-ins with the law. He served time in a Kentucky prison, and has an arrest record for being fugitive from justice in Colorado and for drug and property crimes in Florida.

"We know he's a criminal, so we weren't too shocked. He's a nice guy, but kind of conniving," said 24-year-old Amanda Brewster, who's the suspect's niece. "I think he's more comfortable living in prison."

Read more in this report by The Associated Press.

 

Arlington police seek public's help in identifying suspected bank robber

Arlington police are seeking the public's help in identifying a man suspected of robbing a bank last week.

The robbery took place at about 2:45 p.m. June 5 at a bank in the 900 block of North Arbrook Boulevard.

A white male believed to be 35 to 40 years old walked up to the counter and demanded money. Video surveillance footage shows him to have a thin build and tattoos on both forearms. He left the scene in a newer white Ford F-150 with a regular cab with tinted windows.

Police are using social media to share images from the video footage in hopes of connecting with anyone who might be able to identify the man.

 Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Dara Dewall at 817 459-5739, or Crime Stoppers at 817-469-TIPS (8477).  All tipsters remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward up to $1,000. 

-Patrick M. Walker

Bad spelling bank robber pleads guilty

DALLAS -- An accused robber with spelling problems pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing cash from a bank last summer on Martin Luther King Boulevard, federal authorities said.

According to federal court documents, Debbie Regina Norman, 48, of Dallas walked into the Chase Bank, 2833 Martin Luther King Boulevard, on June 15 and handed the teller a note which stated “Ima shoot you geme money.” She then yelled out, “Right now!”

As she was shouting, Norman placed her hand inside a dark bag as if she had a weapon, the documents stated.

Norman left the bank after the teller gave her an undisclosed amount of money, according to the documents.

Dallas police later arrested her.

Norman entered her plea on a charge of bank robbery before U.S Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez Tuesday morning in a federal courtroom.

Norman is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23.

The Dallas woman faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

— Domingo Ramirez Jr.

Court throws out attempted robbery charges against 'Scarecrow' Bandits

The so-called Scarecrow Bandits were convicted of multiple counts of armed robbery, attempted robbery, firearms violations and conspiracy for their "enterprise" of robbing Metroplex banks, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals notes in a new ruling. But the court has thrown out charges related to the attempted robbery of two banks in Fort Worth and Garland, saying that federal prosecutors' argument for the charges "is without the slightest merit." There's small consolation in that for the bandits.  The court rejected the bank robbers' argument that their other heists constituted one overarching conspiracy, rather than multiple conspiracies - a point that could have significantly reduced their sentences. The ruling also notes that although the bandits' criminal enterprise "enjoyed some success, the enterprise of appealing their convictions is likely of marginal value to them, given the extensive services they will have to serve."  

An interesting note: the bandits abandoned their plan of robbing a Bank of America in Fort Worth because of a wink. The bandits, armed with guns, drove to the bank and parked and waited for a ringleader, Corey Duffey, to give a sign to proceed. But outside the bank, "a man seemed to give Duffey a knowing wink, which led Duffey to think the man indicated some knowledge of what was happening," the ruling states. "He immediately canceled the robbery. The rest of the group dispersed and returned to Dallas." By the way, the bandits got their nicknames because of the flannel shirts and floppy hats they wore. - Lois Norder

Texas bank teller laughs, foils attempted robbery

A bank teller in Beaumont, Texas stopped an attempted holdup with an unexpected case of the giggles.

The Associated Press reports that a man wearing sunglasses and a hard hat was talking on his cellphone when he walked into a Wells Fargo bank and layed down a note demanding money.

The bank teller read the robber's note and instead of handing over any cash, she cracked up laughing.

Probably a little embarrassed, the would-be robber grabbed the note and ran out without stealing any money.

No weapons were shown during the attempted robbery and no one was hurt. 

-Chance Welch

Bank robber: 'Give me all the $20s, $40s and $60s'

A bandit in Arizona has been dubbed the "$60 Bill Bandit."

He's wanted in connection with four bank robberies and he got his interesting moniker because in one of the robberies, he asked the teller to give him all the $20s, $40s and $60s, television station KTVK reported.

I guess he'll expect change in $8 and $12 bills.

-- Lance Murray

Bank robber hails cab and pays for shortened ride

At least he paid!

Police in London, Ohio say that a robber jumped in a cab after holding up a bank.

The cab company was notified by police, so a dispatcher called the cabbie on a cellphone to tell him about his rider.  The cabbie pulled over into a parking lot and asked the man to get out.

The robber obliged, but didn't leave without paying his fare, the Associated Press reported.

Police are still looking for the robber. No word on whether he gave the cabbie a tip.

-- Lance Murray