Man Arrested for Bank Robberies in 'Old Man' Disguise, Repeating Decade-Old Crime Pattern
Federal authorities apprehended a Florida man accused of robbing two banks using a prosthetic mask, a decade after serving time for similar offenses.
A Florida man, David Sartin Jr., 40, has been arrested by federal agents for allegedly robbing two banks earlier this year while wearing a prosthetic “old man” mask, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced. Sartin is accused of robbing a bank in Largo on August 24 and another in St. Petersburg on September 15.
During both alleged incidents, Sartin approached the teller counter in disguise and demanded money, specifying that he did not want dye packs. In the first robbery, investigators believe Sartin used a gas station and surrounding area before parking, switching to a bicycle, and approaching the bank. He reportedly left with $2,900 and made a remark about meeting again before fleeing on his bicycle, then entering a vehicle.
Surveillance footage indicated that Sartin’s vehicle left his home before the second robbery and returned afterward, with a man matching his description seen unloading a bicycle. This time, Sartin allegedly made off with $2,554. The following day, investigators observed Sartin spray-painting the roof of his car black.
Investigators conducted searches of Sartin’s home and storage unit. At his home, they found a bicycle, a blue suit, and a black bag similar to items used in the first robbery. In his storage unit, authorities discovered a backpack and laptop bag containing disguise elements seen in surveillance footage, including the “old man” mask with gray facial hair, dark-framed glasses, and work gloves with black paint. A fake handgun and clothing consistent with the disguise were also recovered.
Authorities also searched another property where Sartin occasionally stayed, finding a different prosthetic mask and a journal. The journal, reportedly written by David Sartin and dated 2021, was titled, “God’s Best friend is a Bank Robber! Uncle Henry Cops and Robbers the world through the eyes of a Bank Robber.” A drawing of a character holding up a mask was also found within its pages.
At the time of the Florida robberies, Sartin was on supervised release following a 2018 federal conviction for robbing five banks in Texas in 2016. During those 2016 robberies, Sartin also used a similar elderly man disguise and the same getaway vehicle as was used in the recent Florida incidents. He was sentenced to over 10 years in prison for that conviction. In 2008, Sartin was also convicted in federal court of attempted bank robbery, where he and a co-conspirator attempted to rob a bank while wearing Halloween masks and disguises.