'Ballcap Bandit' Suspect Pleads Guilty in Alexandria Bank Robberies

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Budder Khan, 26, of Arlington County, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of Bank Robbery, for robbing two banks in the spring in Alexandria, according to the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney. Khan became known as the "Ballcap Bandit" because of the different ballcaps he wore in each robbery. After the Alexandria robberies, Khan robbed a bank in Falls Church, authorities said. In the Falls Church robbery, he implied he had a gun, which was a new development, officials said.

Khan told officers after his arrest that he robbed the banks because of a heroin habit.

The FBI said earlier that Khan has a brother, Rafi, who is serving time for bank robbery.

In the three "Ballcap Bandit" robberies this spring, Budder Khan changed up the ballcaps he wore, starting with the Oakland Raiders in the Del Ray robbery, then switching to the Brooklyn Nets cap in the Fern Street robbery and in his last robbery, in Falls Church, he wore a Colorado Rockies cap. He wore the same coat in each robbery. Here's the timeline of the robberies:

• Monday, April 18: Suntrust Bank in Del Ray
• Thursday, April 28: Wells Fargo Bank in Alexandria
• Wednesday, May 11: Wells Fargo Bank in Falls Church

The Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney reviewed what happened in both robberies, in their news release Thursday:

April 18 bank robbery in Del Ray

On April 18, Khan entered the Suntrust Bank located on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. The defendant approached a teller and handed her a threatening note that stated it was a robbery and that she needed to give him all of her money. She did so, handing him $3,309. The defendant left the bank before the police arrived.

April 18 bank robbery near Quaker Lane

On April 28, the defendant entered the Wells Fargo on Fern Street in Alexandria and handed the teller at the bank a note, again stating that it was a robbery and that she needed to give him her money. This teller also complied and the defendant again left before the police arrived. The defendant stole $1,195 in this robbery.

The defendant was identified by both tellers as the man who had robbed them. The defendant also made statements to law enforcement officers following his arrest stating that he had thrown away the clothing he was wearing because he knew the police were coming for him and that he had committed the robberies because of his heroin habit.

After the guilty plea was accepted by the Court, the matter was continued to Dec. 15 for sentencing. No plea agreement was extended to the defendant by the Office of the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney in this case. The maximum possible penalty for bank robbery is life in prison. The defendant is being held in the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria, pending sentencing. The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney David A. Lord and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Joseph Martin.

PHOTO of Budder Khan courtesy of FBI