Bank camera image
Town police cite roles played; suspect’s notes to tellers reflected creative spelling
UPDATED, Dec. 14: A Chelsea man, who officials call the “Spelling Bee Bandit,” was arrested Monday, Dec. 12, in connection with four bank robberies in greater Boston, including the one at an Arlington TD Bank branch in October.
The U.S. Attorneys Office in Boston said Jason S. Englen, 34, was charged with the robberies of TD Bank on Oct. 31, TD Bank in Reading on Nov. 5, Salem Five in Burlington two days later and and TD Bank in Peabody on Nov. 13.
Chief Frederick Ryan said in a statement that his department assisted the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force in an investigation that resulted in the arrest of the suspect in four bank robberies.
BostonGlobe.com reported the suspect allegedly made off with $965 in the Arlington robbery, $880 in Reading, $2,121 in Burlington and $2,380 in Peabody.
A news release detailed Arlington’s role: After working on the investigation with members of the FBI task force, Arlington Police Inspector James Smith applied for a search warrant out of Cambridge District Court for a Chelsea residence.
How Arlington police helped
Arlington Police Detective Sgt. Bryan Gallagher and Inspector Smith assisted the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force with the execution of the search warrant, which later led to the arrest of Englen.
“Investigating this case took time, patience and commitment from all agencies involved,” Ryan said in the statement. “I commend Arlington Police for their diligent work and collaboration with the FBI. Together we were able to bring this man to justice for his crimes.”
According to court documents, on Oct. 31, a man entered a branch of TD Bank in Arlington, approached a teller and presented a note written on a deposit slip with the word “ROBERY” written on it. The teller handed the man money from the drawer and he fled the bank.
Following the robbery, the man’s image was circulated on public websites seeking information about his identity. The U.S. Attorneys Office news release said that nearly identical incidents occurred on Nov. 5 at a branch of TD Bank in Reading, on Nov. 7 at a branch of Salem Five in Burlington and on Nov. 13 at a branch of TD Bank in Peabody.
During each robbery, the man handed the teller a note with the word “ROBERY” or “ROBERT” demanding cash. During the last robbery, the man told the teller he wanted $20 and $50 bills.
Based on the similarity of the robberies and the physical description of the robber provided by the bank tellers, a bulletin was circulated seeking the public’s help in identifying the perpetrator. As a result, law enforcement received information that the individual involved in the robberies was Englen. Englen, who was already in state custody on unrelated charges, was arrested by federal authorities.
Arlington police repirted that the Oct,. 31 robbery at the TD Bank across from Arlington High School occurred at 5:12 p.m.
Police said in a news release that the suspect is a white male standing 6-feet-1 and wearing a white hat and a dark green shirt. The suspect allegedly passed a note to a teller, later fleeing on foot from the 880 Mass. Ave. branch down Bailey Road.
No weapon was shown, and no injuries were reported.
“Arlington Police will diligently continue our search for this suspect,” Ryan said in the release that day. “I am once again amazed by the calmness and professional response of bank staff, which certainly contributed to the fact that, thankfully, no one was hurt during this evening’s incident.”
The Oct. 31 robbery was the second reported bank robbery within the past 10 days on Mass. Ave. Leader Bank in Arlington Center was robbed Friday, Oct. 21, and Arlington police said then they were actively seeking the suspect, who was last seen on foot and made off with an undetermined amount of cash.
The Globe cited court records providing further details about how authorities broke the case, including a tip from his mother.
Affidavit details how case was broken
An affidavit from FBI Special Agent Brendan C. Fogerty, according to The Globe, said Englen was being held at the Nashua Street Jail in Boston on an unrelated probation violation and had a recorded phone call with his mother, Theresa, on Nov. 18.
The jail monitors all inmate calls, except conversations with their lawyers.
During the call, Theresa Englen told her son she had seen an FBI bulletin about the robberies and knew he was the suspect, Fogerty wrote.
Jason Englen declined to discuss the matter with her, but an investigator at the jail alerted authorities, according to the affidavit.
On Nov. 23, Theresa Englen called an FBI task force officer, Robert DiSalvatore, and said her son was the person depicted in surveillance photos from the Reading robbery, Fogerty wrote.
Six days later, Fogerty and DiSalvatore interviewed Theresa and her husband, Joseph Englen, at their Chelsea home. When shown an image of her son wearing a hat during one of the robberies, Theresa Englen said “So that’s what happened to my Patriots hat,” investigators wrote.
Englen’s parents also told investigators he “has a serious drug habit, most likely heroin, and that they were aware that he had robbed banks in the past,” Fogerty wrote. “They said that [Englen] had recently been released from prison, was staying clean, and was doing odd jobs and work around their house.”
On Nov. 30, FBI agents interviewed Englen’s girlfriend, who said they had stayed in a Danvers motel on Nov. 12. The next day, he texted her to say “he had money to give her,” Fogerty wrote.
Could face 20 years
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge bases upon the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Making the joint announcement of the arrest were U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Harold H. Shaw, special agent in Charge of the FBI, Boston Field Division; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins; Arlington Police Chief Ryan; Reading Police Chief Mark D. Segalla; Burlington Police Chief Michael Kent; and Peabody Police Chief Thomas Griffin.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Englen made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Dec. 12 on four bank robbery counts. He did not enter a plea and was ordered held pending further proceedings. An arraignment date was not set.
BostonGlobe.com, Dec. 13, 2016: ‘Spelling Bee Bandit’ facing charges in four bank robberies
Oct. 31, 2016: Police seek suspect in TD Bank robbery; 2nd in 10 days
Oct. 21, 2016: Police seek suspect in robbery of Leader Bank in Center
This news summary was published Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016., and updated Dec. 14.
