Police Arrest Arlington Man as Suspect in 2010 'Cross-Dressing Bank Robbery'

An anonymous tip lead the belived to be the man who dressed up as a woman to rob two Wakefield banks in 2010, breaking open a previously cold case that was more than a year old.

Patrick J. O'Connell, 28, of Arlington, was arrested on two outstanding warrants for two bank robberies at two different banks in Wakefield in February of 2010.

The first robbery occured on Feburary 10 at the Eastern Bank in Wakefield. The second was nine days later at the Wakefield's Savings Bank on Feb. 19. 

Police said that in both of the robberies, a man entered each bank dressed up as a woman with a large headscarf and sunglasses. The man passed a note to the teller indicating she should pass him the money "before anyone gets hurt," according to Wakefield Police.

The suspect was described as approximiately 6'2", with a slim build and a male's voice wearing a white jacket with a hood, khaki pants, red lipstick and large earrings. The suspect was dressed similarly in the second robbery on February 19, so similarly that one of the tellers recognized the suspect from photos.

In each case, Wakefield Police were unable to follow or track the suspect long enough to make an arrest.

"We got a tip that this might be the guy that we were looking for," said Lt. Craig Calabrese of the Wakefield Police Department. "The tip came in to our detective unit, who has been working on this for a little while. That's what broke the case open."

O'Connell was arrested in Bedford on Monday. He is being arraigned in Malden District Court on Tuesday, Nov. 23.