Alleged Pink-wigged Bandit Charged in Farmington Robbery

Farmington police arrested an alleged pink-wigged serial robber for a robbery that occurred at the Scott’s Town Line Mobil on April 13.

Police served Festim Shyqeriu, 21, of New Britain with a warrant and charged him with first-degree robbery and 5th-degree larceny on Tuesday, said Lt. Colin Ryan, police spokesman. Shyqeriu was already in custody on other robbery charges out of Hartford and New Britain.

Hartford and New Britain police departments shared information with Farmington police that helped them develop their case, Ryan said.

“Good overall detective work supplemented by the cooperation between agencies is what solved this open case,” Ryan said.

Shyqeriu allegedly used a handgun and concealed his face during the Farmington robbery, Ryan said.

Shyqeriu allegedly robbed People’s United Bank at 290 Franklin Avenue in Hartford on June 5. He was wearing a pink wig, sunglasses, a blue plaid shirt and white gloves, according to a press release. Hartford police were contacted by New Britain police who were investigating a robbery with a similar suspect.

Hartford police stopped Shyqeriu’s vehicle on June 19 and found a black BB gun, pink wig, and a handwritten note that read, “hand me all the money now,” according to the release. He confessed to the robbery and later confessed to the New Britain robbery.

Shyqeriu overall has one robbery case out of Farmington, one out of Hartford and three out of New Britain, according to court records.

Arrest photo provided by Hartford Police.