EVERETT — A man who allegedly pulled off 30 bank heists and stymied police for a year was a prolific gambler, according to court papers.
Anthony Hathaway purchased several thousand dollars in chips at the Tulalip Casino after bank robberies in Snohomish and King counties in 2013 and 2014. Hathaway was seen on casino surveillance video often wearing the same clothes that he wore while holding up banks, court papers said.
Hathaway, 46, is charged with 13 counts of first-degree robbery for the hold ups in King County. Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Bob Langbehn recently charged Hathaway with three counts of first-degree robbery for heists in Everett and Lynnwood. The Everett man allegedly told investigators he is responsible for 14 additional bank robberies in Snohomish County. Hathaway didn’t use a gun but in some robberies he jumped over the counter and emptied out money drawers.
He is scheduled to go to trial in King County in June. No trial date has been scheduled in Snohomish County yet.
The FBI nicknamed Hathaway the “Cyborg Bandit” for the metallic fabric mask he wore during some of the robberies. He also is believed to be the “Elephant Man Bandit,” a nickname given for crude mask he used to hide his identity. That robber covered his head with a shirt or sack that had two small eye holes cut out of the fabric. He also wore latex gloves.
“Not only did he have a fairly good disguise but he also had a fairly quick getaway,” Langbehn said.
Hathaway was caught last year moments after a King County bank was robbed, according to court papers.
A break in the case came in February 2014 after a robbery at a U.S Bank in Lynnwood. Witnesses reported seeing the suspect get into a minivan with a large Seahawks logo on the back window. Everett detectives spotted the minivan matching the description outside a house. An FBI team set up surveillance the following week, and saw Hathaway leave the location wearing some of the same distinctive clothes worn by the robber, court papers said
The surveillance team was watching Hathaway’s house when he allegedly drove to the University District and circled a Key Bank for a couple of hours. He reportedly robbed the bank and was arrested as he left the building.
Hathaway allegedly spoke to investigators for more than eight hours and confessed to robbing 30 banks, Langbehn wrote in court papers.
A search of his residence turned up a mask, multiple pairs of gloves and clothes that matched those worn by the robber.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dianahefley
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