Police veteran accused of robbing a bank

Earlier today, the FBI and Conroe Police Department announced that 20-plus year Conroe PD veteran Sgt. Michael Tindall has been charged in federal court with bank robbery for allegedly stealing $28,672 from the bank where he worked as a security guard in his off time.Tindall "has been a friend and part of the Conroe Police Department family and I've enjoyed my relationship with him," Conroe police Chief Charlie Ray said today during a press conference. "We've had no reason to think bad things about him and it's just sad."


According to court documents, Tindall entered the 1st Bank of Conroe on August 11, 2008 wearing gloves, a white motorcycle helmet and aviator sunglasses, vaulted over the teller's counter and demanded money located in the tellers' bottom drawer. Apparently, this branch only kept bait money in its top drawers, a practice that is not industry-wide. Once the robber had the money, he jumped back over the counter and went outside, where he drove off in a silver Chevy Malibu. The FBI says no one saw the robber use a weapon.

The very next day, a bank official contacted the FBI, which investigates all bank robberies, saying that after watching the security tape, he believed the robber was a Conroe police officer who sometimes worked security at the bank. The bank official said the robber both looked like Tindall and that he seemed to know the bank's layout and in which drawer the money was kept. A teller told the FBI that the robber's voice sounded like Tindall.

For months, the investigation continued. Then in late November 2008, Chief Charlie Ray contacted the FBI to say that after watching the security tape, he too believed the robber was Tindall based on the robber's hand gestures and the way he walked. Additionally, another member of law enforcement said he thought the helmet the robber wore looked the same as the one Tindall had worn while go-karting at a children's festival event years earlier.

The indictment, which was unsealed today, caps off a seven-month long investigation. Authorities would not comment on what the motive may have been but Ray did say that Tindall will be, at least for now, suspended without pay. Tindall is expected to appear in federal court for his initial appearance on Wednesday.

"This has been a difficult thing to do," said Ray. "This is not just a betrayal of the public's trust but also of the hard working, honest officers in our office." Read more!

Police officer robbed a bank!

A 26-years old Carbondale police officer named James D. Gaddis was arrested because of the robbery on a Carbondale bank on West Murphysboro Road. The bank was robbed of about $22,000. Another man named Anthony Mitchell Fik (35) was also involved in the robbery. The two suspects concealed their faces under motorcycle helmets during the incident, and Gaddis used some of his police tools. Fortunately nobody was injured.

Gaddis has been suspended after working as a Corbondale police officer for about 5 years. Fik turned himself in to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. There hasn't been said anything about the relationship between these two. Attorney said both men are charged with armed robbery, and since there was a firearm used in the crime they can get additional 15 years in prison. They are held in the Jackson County Jail with Gaddis isolated from other prisoners. Attorney said "If the charge is proven true, Mr. Gaddis not only violated the law, but also betrayed his oath of office and the trust which his fellow officers and the citizens of this community placed in him". He would not comment what Gaddis' motive for the robbery might have been.
Fike’s bond was set at $50,000 while bond for Gaddis is $1 million. Gaddis will appear in court January 30. for preliminary hearing. Read more!

Police officer robbed a bank!

A 26-years old Carbondale police officer named James D. Gaddis was arrested because of the robbery on a Carbondale bank on West Murphysboro Road. The bank was robbed of about $22,000. Another man named Anthony Mitchell Fik (35) was also involved in the robbery. The two suspects concealed their faces under motorcycle helmets during the incident, and Gaddis used some of his police tools. Fortunately nobody was injured.

Gaddis has been suspended after working as a Corbondale police officer for about 5 years. Fik turned himself in to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. There hasn't been said anything about the relationship between these two. Attorney said both men are charged with armed robbery, and since there was a firearm used in the crime they can get additional 15 years in prison. They are held in the Jackson County Jail with Gaddis isolated from other prisoners. Attorney said "If the charge is proven true, Mr. Gaddis not only violated the law, but also betrayed his oath of office and the trust which his fellow officers and the citizens of this community placed in him". He would not comment what Gaddis' motive for the robbery might have been. Maybe he didn't win at the video slots in the casino this month? Far as we know the reasons can be many.
Fike’s bond was set at $50,000 while bond for Gaddis is $1 million. Gaddis will appear in court January 30. for preliminary hearing. Read more!

Police officer stole from dead man

A FORMER police officer has been jailed for 12 months for stealing two winning betting slips from a dead man.

Gambling addict PC John Fleet stole the slips, worth a combined £59.21, from the body of Stephen Lawrence who had died suddenly at his home of natural causes.

Fleet, with Devon and Cornwall Police, was sent to help with the removal of the body on July 30 and the court heard he took the two slips and cashed them the following day.

He was caught when Mr Lawrence’s sister, Diane Adams, later visited the same bookmakers and was told by staff a man had collected her brother’s winnings.

The court heard Fleet, who has resigned from the force, then contacted Mrs Adams to try to get her to withdraw the complaint. He also changed the police log to say the incident was dealt with and was closed.

The 28-year-old, of Warbro Road, Torquay, pleaded guilty to theft and perverting the course of justice. He was sentenced to two months for the theft and 12 months for perverting the course of justice, to run concurrently. Read more!