'Incognito Bandit' Sentenced For Arlington Bank Robbery

ARLINGTON, MA — A bank robber known as the "Incognito Bandit" was sentenced to prison last week after pleading guilty in January to robbing an Arlington bank of more than $11,000. Albert Taderera, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery in the October 2015 robbery at Winchester Savings Bank on Medford Street.

Under the plea deal, a second armed robbery charge tied to the October 2016 robbery of a TD Bank in Wayland was dropped, the Boston Globe reported. Taderera was sentenced to 34 months – nearly three years – in prison, as well as three years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney's office said. He will also pay restitution of $11,561.

Authorities connected 16 robberies to the "Incognito Bandit" at the time of Taderera's arrest in 2017. In many instances, witnesses saw who they thought to be the robber drive away in a black BMW sedan.

That sedan was seen outside a Concord bank on March 16, 2017 and towed for having a revoked registration. Police at the time noted that Taderera fit the description of the suspect in the 16 robberies.

On March 22, Taderera called the tow company and was told his BMW was in police custody. The following night, the FBI learned Taderera booked a Friday morning flight from Dulles International Airport to Addis Ababe, Ethiopia.

Taderera was arrested before boarding a flight at Dulles, having changed his flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, according to federal authorities.