The key facts
- David Sartin Jr. robbed Valley Bank in Largo on August 24 and Truist Bank in St. Petersburg on September 15, stealing $2,900 and about $2,554 respectively.
- For disguise he used a silicone old-man mask and left crime scenes on a bicycle; after the second heist he repainted the roof of his Toyota FJ Cruiser black.
- He faces up to 40 years in prison; he had previously been convicted of bank robberies in Texas and an attempted attack in 2008.
Arrest and Circumstances of the Heists
In the US, 40-year-old David Sartin Jr. has been arrested on suspicion of robbing two banks in Florida. Fox News reported this, citing case materials. The first heist took place on August 24 at a Valley Bank branch in the city of Largo, the second on September 15 at Truist Bank in St. Petersburg. In both cases, according to the US Department of Justice, the suspect wore a realistic silicone mask of an old man with a gray beard, glasses, and headwear, then demanded cash from tellers without dye packs. The first time he received $2,900, the second time approximately $2,554. For the crimes, which netted a total of about $5,500, he faces up to 40 years in prison.
Investigation and Searches
Investigators established that after the crimes the man left on a bicycle: before the first robbery he parked his car nearby and then returned to it. During surveillance, police noticed that the day after the second heist, Sartin repainted the white roof of his Toyota FJ Cruiser black, which drew law enforcement's attention. During searches of a house, a garage unit, and another premises he frequented, several costumes, two silicone masks, wig supplies, glasses, gloves, and a toy gun were found. Investigators were drawn to a handwritten 2021 diary devoted to bank robberies — it also contained a drawing of a person holding a mask in front of them.
The Suspect's Past
According to the outlet, Sartin already had a criminal record: in 2018 he was sentenced to ten years and one month in federal prison for five robberies in Texas committed two years earlier — at that time he used similar disguise and the same vehicle. In 2008 he was convicted of an attempted bank attack using Halloween masks. At the time of the new crimes, he was under supervision after release.
A Similar Case in Russia
Life.ru also recalls Maxim Galuga of Novosibirsk, nicknamed Fantomas because of his realistic silicone mask. According to the investigation, he committed a series of armed attacks on banks and microfinance organizations and confessed to nine episodes. His capture was aided by a criminal investigation officer who noticed a suspicious cyclist while on vacation. Searches of Galuga turned up more than 500 rounds of ammunition, flare guns, and a submachine gun. He did not live to see trial: in September 2026 it was reported that he had died in a pre-trial detention center.
