James City County Bank Robber Arrested, Linked to Robberies As Rar Away As Maryland



Joel William Galindo

 WTKR
James City County police have arrested a man for the August 10 bank robbery at the RBC Centura Bank on John Tyler Highway and the Sept. 19 bank robbery at the Citizen’s & Farmer’s Bank on Longhill Road.


Joel William Galindo, 25, of Richmond was charged with two counts of Robbery.


The investigation revealed that Galindo was linked to other bank robberies that occurred between May 10 and Oct. 5, 2011 from Frederick, Maryland to James City County, including a robbery at M & T Bank in Hanover County that occurred on May 19.

Galindo was arrested for the Hanover robbery on Monday, Oct. 24 by the US Marshal’s Office working in conjunction with the Hanover Sheriff’s Office.


Galindo is currently being held at the Pamunkey Regional Jail without bond.

Source;  http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-james-city-county-bank-robber-arrested-linked-to-robberies-as-far-away-as-maryland-20111026,0,2061728.story

"Granddad Bandit" Arraigned In Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The suspect in bank robberies across the U.S. who was nicknamed the "Granddad Bandit" by the FBI has pleaded not guilty in federal court in Virginia.

Michael Francis Mara of Baton Rouge, La., entered his plea to two bank robbery counts Friday, and a judge set his trial for Nov. 18. Another judge ruled that the 53-year-old Mara must remain imprisoned until trial.

Mara is suspected in 25 bank robberies in 13 states, including two holdups in the Richmond area. The FBI says the "Granddad Bandit" nickname was devised to help law enforcement and the public easily identify the suspect, whose picture was posted on billboards across the country.

Mara was arrested last month after a six-hour standoff with police at his home.

www.wric.com

Man Wearing Burqa Robs Bank

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) - Montgomery County police say a man wearing a burqa has robbed a bank in Silver Spring.

Police say the man who robbed a TD Bank branch on Briggs Chaney Road about 4:20 p.m. Tuesday was wearing a "long black burqa over his face." A burqa is garment worn by Muslim women that generally covers the face and body.

Authorities say the man showed a gun and demanded money. He took an undetermined amount of money and fled.

Police say the man spoke with what they described as "a Middle Eastern accent."

Police have not released a photo.

www.wtop.com

Suspected Female Arrested After 7 Bank Robberies

A woman who used heavy makeup as a disguise and is suspected of robbing seven Baltimore area banks was arrested on Saturday when a teller hit a panic button, trapping her inside a vestibule until police arrived.

Special Agent Richard J. Wolf, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore FBI office, said the 27-year-old suspect became "extremely aggitated" while stuck Saturday between the entrance way doors of the Madison Bank in the 6800 block of Harford Road.

Wolf identified the suspect as Darion Randle of Lansdowne. She had been sought since early July after the FBI says six banks were robbed by a woman wearing a long black wig and used notes to threaten tellers that bank employees and customers would be injured if she didn't get money. Authorities say that female bank robbers are "rare."

Police say that they've linked four bank robberies in Baltimore County and three in the city to the woman.

The latest occured Saturday about 11 a.m. at the Madison Bank on Harford Road. Wolf said the woman -- who sometimes wore an Arab head covering, but not this time -- handed a teller a note and got money. The teller pushed the alarm button as the suspect left, trapping her in the vestibule.

A city police officer said cops rushed to get a picture of her before her makeup came off. Wolf said her makeup was melting in theheat. "She was extremely agitated," he said. ""She tried to bang the glass off. She pulled some weather stripping. Her make-up was running because of the heat. There was a lot of make-up."

Peter Hermann

www.baltimoresun.com