'Route 128 Bandit' Pleads Guilty To Wellesley Bank Robbery

A Boston man dubbed the "Route 128 Bandit" pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to robbing 10 banks in the greater Boston area from Dedham to Bedford.

Paul B. Landrum, 38, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of bank robbery.

In November, Landrum was arrested and charged in federal court and has been in custody since.
Between July 31, 2017, and Oct. 6, 2017, eight banks were robbed in the Greater Boston area.

After each robbery, the tellers described the man who robbed them as light-skinned black, 30-to-45-years-old, wearing a baseball hat, sunglasses and a long-sleeved collarless shirt. Based on the descriptive similarities, law enforcement suspected that the same individual was involved in each robbery.

Between Oct. 17, and Oct. 19, last year, two more banks were robbed in the Greater Boston area. Following these robberies, the tellers described the robber, later determined to be Tamea Chambers, as a black woman, 30-to-35-years-old, wearing a wig. Based on the similar descriptions by the tellers, law enforcement suspected that the same individual was involved in these two robberies.

During their investigation of the latter robberies, law enforcement obtained video footage from a business connected to one of the banks that captured images of the lady robber in the company of a light-skinned black man. Upon comparison of this video footage with the video footage of the first eight robberies, law enforcement determined the man to be the Route 128 Bandit.

An investigation into the robber’s get-away vehicle led law enforcement to identify Landrum as the suspect, and on Oct. 24, 2017, Landrum and Chambers were arrested in Boston. Landrum admitted to robbing eight banks individually, and assisting Chambers with the final two robberies.

Chambers was indicted in March 2018 and has a hearing in federal court in Boston on May 8.

Landrum faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

Below are the robberies and attempted robberies Landrum admitted to:

• Attempt: June 3, 2016, Citizens Bank, 673 VFW Parkway, Cambridge
• July 31, 2017, Tremont Credit Union, 10 Corinth St., Roslindale
• August 18, 2017, Santander Bank, 1850 Centre St., West Roxbury
• August 31, 2017, Tremont Credit Union, 10 Corinth St., Roslindale
• September 14, 2017, Dedham Savings Bank, 55 Elm St., Dedham
• September 25, 2017, Bank of America, 35 Washington St., Wellesley
• October 2, 2017, RTN Federal Credit Union, 1205 Adams St., Boston
• October 3, 2017, Rockland Trust, 75 Moody St., Waltham
• Attempt: October 6, 2017, Citizens Bank, 673 VFW Parkway, Cambridge
• October 6, 2017, Bank of America, 158 Great Rd., Suite A, Bedford

Previously on Patch:

• Bank Robbery: Wellesley Police Release Photos Of Suspect
  
• Waltham Bank Robbed, Police Are Looking for This Man
  
• 'Route 128 Bandit,' Alleged Accomplice Caught
  
• Route 128 Bandit Allegedly Admits To Robbing 9 Boston-Area Banks

By Jenna Fisher (Patch Staff)

Image via FBI Boston