Three-Time Bank Robber Charged by FBI

NEWARK, NJ—Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun announced today that Tarik Mackins has been charged with three counts of bank robbery. Mackins, who is already in custody on unrelated charges, had his initial appearance today before Honorable Karen M. Williams, U.S. Magistrate in Camden, New Jersey.

According to the criminal complaint, all three robberies involved the use of a diversion to misdirect police resources. At approximately 10:15 a.m. on September 29, 2008, the Moorestown Police Department received a telephone call from a male identifying himself as “Andrew” who reported a man with a gun at the local gym. Moorestown police responded and discovered the phone call was a hoax. In the meantime, a lone male wearing a full face motorcycle helmet with a tinted visor entered the Sun National Bank, 380 S. Lenola Road, Maple Shade, New Jersey ten minutes after the hoax phone call to police. The subject had a gun and unsuccessfully attempted to access the teller area.  He left empty handed and fled on a motorcycle.

On October 7, 2008, the same sequence of events was repeated in the same order in Medford, New Jersey. “Andrew” called the police and reported a man with a gun at a specific address. Police discovered it was a hoax. In the meantime, the Columbia Savings Bank, 133 Route 70, Medford, New Jersey, was robbed by a lone male  wearing a full face motorcycle helmet with a tinted visor. This time, the robber was able to successfully vault the teller counter where he obtained an undisclosed amount of money. He fled the bank on a motorcycle. Witnesses were able to provide law enforcement with the  New Jersey tag number of that motorcycle.

On October 20, 2008, the same sequence of events happened again in the same order at the Commerce Bank, 1506 Berlin Road, Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The robber vaulted the teller counter and obtained an undisclosed amount of money. The robber fled on a motorcycle bearing the same license tag number as the robber in the Medford robbery on October 7, 2008.

Through subsequent investigation, police identified the robber as Tarik Mackins, as well as his two coconspirators. On July 7, 2009, detectives from the Willingboro, New Jersey Police Department observed Tarik Mackins in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Police approached Mackins at which time he attempted to flee. He was quickly apprehended after a short foot pursuit. Mackins was ordered held in the Burlington County Jail by a local district judge.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun commends the Moorestown, Medford, Cherry Hill and Willingboro Police Departments for their cooperation and teamwork in this investigation, as well as FBI agents from the Trenton Resident Agency.

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