Accused bank robber gets caught after his 47 earlier arrests, Connecticut police say

A Connecticut man with an extensive criminal record has been arrested in connection with an October bank robbery, police say.

While wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a medical mask, a man approached a teller at TD Bank in Fairfield on Oct. 10, demanding money, according to a statement from the Fairfield Police Department. He then fled the scene with cash in hand, police said.

After an “extensive investigation,” Fairfield police arrested a 54-year-old New Haven resident in connection with the robbery on Jan. 12, police said.

He was taken into custody at his apartment without incident and has been charged with second-degree robbery and fifth-degree larceny. He is being held on a $150,000 bond, police said.

An attorney for the man could not immediately be reached. When contacted by McClatchy News, a spokesperson for TD Bank declined to comment.

The man possesses a lengthy criminal record, which includes 47 prior arrests. He has spent about two dozen years of his life incarcerated, according to court records.

He robbed two banks and attempted to rob a third in the New Haven area between 2017 and 2018, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut. He was sentenced to over five years in prison in 2019.

In 2020, his sentence was reduced and he was granted compassionate release. His myriad health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes and schizoaffective disorder, made him vulnerable to COVID-19, according to court records.

“(He) contends that ‘because of his age, health, and focus on his future, he is far from a risk to recidivate,’” the court ruling stated.

The man, who has also been arrested on larceny, burglary and drug charges, is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 13, police said.