FBI Arrests 66-Year-Old for DC Bank Robbery, Linked to 'Black Hat Bandits' Case

Two men are in custody for robbing a DC bank last month and at least one of them is linked to the “Black Hat Bandits” series of bank robberies in Northern Virginia, where tellers and customers were reportedly threatened at banks in Vienna, McLean and Falls Church.

The information is part of a criminal complaint and an application for a search warrant filed by the FBI with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Thomas Anthony George, 66, and Dawitt Ralph Hall, 37, face charges in DC in the case filed last month. They remain held without bond in that particular case, pending a hearing on April 29, according to the papers filed. The FBI says George admitted to the DC bank robbery as well as eight others in Maryland and Northern Virginia.

The Washington Post notes that George is described in an FBI affidavit as a “career bank robber offender” convicted of robbing banks in the area three times — in 1988, 1993 and 1999.

Hall “has a significant criminal history” that includes two convictions for escape, along with convictions for weapons and drug offenses, and was on supervised release at the time of his arrest, the Post reported.

It appears the bank-robbing spree began to unravel last month on an unlucky day: Friday the 13th

Here’s what happened according to the papers filed by the FBI:

On Friday, March 13, at approximately 2:23 p.m., a man later identified as George entered the Wells Fargo Bank located at 4302 Connecticut Ave, NW, in D.C. George was dressed in a blue jacket, sunglasses, gloves and a mask. The FBI says he was brandishing a black handgun and approached a bank teller, stating, three times: “Give me money or I’m going to kill a customer.”

George made away with $9,178, according to the search warrant. The robbery was captured on the bank’s surveillance cameras, the FBI said. After George exited the bank, he was seen by a law enforcement officer entering the passenger side of a black Chevrolet Suburban with a Maryland license plate.

Officers caught up with George on 1953 19th Place SE, Apt. 105, in D.C., where they arrested him with $3,950 in his pants pocket. Officers obtained a search warrant and found a black handgun in the apartment.

George waived his rights and admitted to robbing the Wells Fargo Bank located at 4302 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C., as well as the other eight banks in Virginia and Maryland outlined briefly.

There is no mention of his accomplice admitting guilt to the bank robberies.

Since January, the Washington Field Office of the FBI, the Fairfax County and Vienna Police Departments, the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and Metropolitan Police Department, have been conducting a criminal investigation involving a series of nine armed bank robberies in the Eastern District of Virginia, District of Maryland and District of Columbia. All of these robberies happened within a span of approximately three months, beginning in January.

Here are descriptions of the Northern Virginia robberies and new details from the FBI:

• Jan. 2, at approximately 10:50 a.m., a suspect entered the Bank of America, 1369 Chain Bridge Road in McLean, brandished a weapon and robbed the bank. The suspect was wearing a fake beard/mustache facial disguise. He was described as a white male, approximately 50 years old, approximately 5’ 10”, approximately 170 lbs, unshaven and wearing a black felt hat, black trench coat, black gloves, light colored pants, and white sneakers. Upon entering the bank, the suspect immediately pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at the bank tellers and instructed them to “Give me the fucking money.” The suspect placed the money in blue plastic bag and exited the bank. The suspect was observed exiting the bank and walking north east direction towards Brawner Street and Calder Road. The total loss to the bank was $28,314.
• Jan. 16, 3:17 p.m., two suspects, wearing facial disguises, entered the BB&T BANK, located 8416 Arlington Boulevard, brandished a weapon and robbed the bank. Suspect 1 was described as a white, male, approximately 30-40 years old, approximately 5’11” - 6’, approximately 200-230 lbs, with a big nose with rough bumps or acne scars, wearing a black hat, black mask, dark gloves, dark sunglasses, black trench coat. Suspect 2 was described as male, unknown race, wearing a black hat, black mask, dark gloves, dark colored pants, dark gloves. Upon entering the bank Suspect 1 pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at the bank tellers and customers. Suspect 1demanded the door to the teller stations be opened. Once behind the teller counter, Suspect 1 ordered a teller to place money into a brown plastic bag. The suspects fled on foot and entered a parking garage located behind the bank. The total loss to the bank was $5,847.48.
• Jan. 20, at approximately 2:53 p.m., the Bank Of America located at 235 West Maple Ave. in Vienna, was robbed by two unknown armed suspects, one wearing a black hat, black coat, black pants, black gloves, black and white shoes, a black and white scarf, sunglasses, and carrying a black semi-automatic pistol. The other suspect was wearing a black hat, a face covering, a tan jacket, black pants, black gloves and carrying black semi-automatic pistol. The suspects entered the bank and pointed their guns at the employees and customers and had them all get on the ground. One of the suspects went to several teller stations getting cash from the top and bottom drawers. The bank reported the suspect received $47,491.00 before departing the bank and fleeing to the parking lot where the dye packs exploded. Recovered in the parking lot was $47,330.00.
• Feb. 18: Two subjects robbed the BB&T Bank located at 440 Maple Avenue East, Vienna, at approximately 3:12 p.m.
• Feb. 18: Two subjects also robbed the Wells Fargo Bank, located at 47040 Community Plaza, Sterling, at approximately 3:56 p.m. The subjects carried semiautomatic pistols and wore predominantly dark-colored clothing.
• March 2: At approximately 12:44 p.m., two armed men dressed in all dark clothing walked into the Wells Fargo Bank, 1000 W. Broad Street, Falls Church, demanded money and robbed the bank. Suspect 1 was described as black, male, approximately 6’, 210 - 220 lbs, 30-36 years old with greyish teeth with gaps between each tooth and wearing a black knit hat with a soft brim, ski mask with eyes and mouth cut out, black and white scarf wrapped around his neck, dingy green puffy jacket, black jean carpenter style pants, possibly wearing white Air Jordan’s, black knit gloves. Suspect 2 was described as a white, male, 5’10 - 5’11, stocky build, mid to late 50 years old with a missing bottom right front tooth. He was described as having a country accent possibly from West Virginia. He was wearing a black stocking cap, black scarf wrapped around his mouth, black mid length wool coat, black pants and black gloves. Suspect 1 pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at a bank employees and customers and ordered them to the ground. Suspect 2 pointed a silver and grey semiautomatic handgun at customers and bank employees and ordered them to the ground. The suspects forced the tellers to give them money. At the conclusion of the robbery, the suspects fled on foot in an eastbound direction. The total loss to the bank was $35,061.

George and Hall remain held without bond in that particular case, pending a hearing on April 29,