A convicted serial robber has been accused of disguising himself as an old man to hit even more banks in Florida, according to prosecutors.
David Sartin Jr., a 40-year-old from St. Petersburg, was arrested last month after allegedly being connected to two bank robberies in the area, during which a thief wearing a prosthetic old man mask approached the teller counter and demanded money, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida said in a press release.
uncertain
Office → convict → release
The first robbery occurred in the afternoon of August 24 at a bank in Largo.
asserted
robbery → occur → Largo
Sartin Jr., wearing a straw hat, sports coat, and gloves, walked up to the teller and told them to hand over all the money and “no dye packs,” according to a criminal complaint.
uncertain
Jr. → wear → complaint
Dye packs thwart robbers by staining money and making it easier to track.
asserted
it → thwart → money
The teller gave Sartin Jr. $2,900 while also pressing a silent alarm, the complaint said.
asserted
complaint → give → alarm
The suspect allegedly grabbed the money and stuffed it inside his sports coat before leaving the bank.
uncertain
suspect → grab → bank
According to the bank manager standing next to the teller, Sartin Jr. told the teller to “hurry up” at least two times, and when he got the money, he said, “Until we meet again.”
uncertain
we → accord → money
The bank manager said that he was wearing a prosthetic face covering with a thin grey beard.
asserted
he → say → beard
Investigators determined that Sartin Jr. had parked a car near the bank before the robbery and then switched to a bicycle.
asserted
Jr. → determine → bicycle
After the robbery, Sartin Jr. fled on the bicycle, went to the car and then drove away, according to prosecutors.
uncertain
Jr. → flee → prosecutors
The car was later seen heading in the direction of Sartin Jr.’s home, prosecutors said.
asserted
prosecutors → see → home
Weeks later, Sartin Jr. allegedly hit another bank in St. Petersburg.
uncertain
Jr. → hit → Petersburg
On the afternoon of September 15, Sartin Jr. — wearing a sports coat and gloves again, but this time with a flat cap and glasses — approached someone identified only as “Witness 3,” the complaint said.
asserted
complaint → wear → Witness
Sartin Jr. gave the person a note that said something like, “Cash, no dye,” and they gave him about $2,500, according to the complaint.
uncertain
they → give → complaint
He then allegedly fled.
uncertain
He → flee → ?
The witness said they believed he was wearing an “old man” mask and that he did not move as an old man would.
asserted
man → say → mask
Surveillance video showed a car leaving Sartin Jr.’s home before the robbery and returning afterwards, according to prosecutors.
uncertain
car → show → prosecutors
When the car returned, a man resembling Sartin Jr. was allegedly seen unloading a bicycle and rolling it toward the home.
uncertain
man → return → home
During a search of a storage unit owned by Sartin Jr., they allegedly found disguise items matching those seen in surveillance video from the robberies, including an old man mask with grey facial hair, glasses, and gloves.
uncertain
they → own → hair
When agents searched another home where Sartin Jr. occasionally stayed, authorities allegedly found a journal titled God’s Best Friend Is a Bank Robber!
uncertain
Friend → search → journal
Uncle Henry Cops and Robbers the world through the eyes of a Bank Robber, which stated it was “written by: David Sartin
asserted
it → cop → Sartin
Sartin Jr. was arrested on September 19 in the driveway of a home about two houses from his home.
asserted
Jr. → arrest → home
At the time of the robberies in Florida, Sartin Jr. was on supervised release for a 2018 federal conviction stemming from five bank robberies in Texas two years prior.
asserted
Jr. → stem → Texas
During the robberies in Texas, Sartin Jr. wore a similar mask and used the same vehicle he used during the Florida robberies, according to prosecutors.
uncertain
he → wear → prosecutors
In 2008, Sartin Jr. was convicted in federal court of attempted bank robbery after he and a co-conspirator tried to hit a bank wearing Halloween masks and other disguises.
asserted
he → convict → masks
Sartin Jr. has been charged with two counts of bank robbery in connection with the Florida robberies.
asserted
Jr. → charge → robberies
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.
asserted
he → convict → count
The Aporia
