Alaska Man Sent To Federal Prison For Robbing The Same Bank Three Times
During the past year, a Wells Fargo Bank in Anchorage, Alaska, has been robbed three different times. As reported by KTUU News, 38-year-old Christopher Hattig was sentenced on Friday for his guilt in the crimes. He will serve four years for each of the three robberies concurrently, plus five years of supervised release after that.
The first robbery occurred on July 7, 2017, the second on April 3, 2018, and the last on April 16. On April 3, Hattig was assisted by Bethany McKeel, 31, and Derrick Moore, 29, who have already received charges for their roles in the crime. McKeel will serve four years total, like Hattig, while Moore will serve 56 months of jail time. Each of the two co-defendants pleaded guilty to one count of robbery.
KTUU News reports that the bank’s location made it an easy target for robberies. The back of the bank faces a wooded area with a trail that leads to a cul-de-sac. The not-so-distant location for a getaway car made sneaking in and getting out quickly convenient for the robbers. Alaska Native News gave a deeper look at the events of the April 3 robbery, which involved all three robbers. The three defendants drove to the Wells Fargo bank in a GMC Yukon.
Hattig and Moore allegedly ran into the bank for the robbery while McKeel waited in the cul-de-sac with the getaway car. Hatting reportedly pointed a realistic air pistol at tellers while Moore forced them to stuff money into a bag. In total, the trio stole approximately $15,316. After they fled the scene, they ditched their vehicle, which police found the next day. It was the information that police found in the car which led them to the robbers’ arrests. Some of the items found were the air pistol, jackets, and Hattig’s credit card. After three weeks, Moore and McKeel were arrested, while Hattig was more difficult to find as he was in hiding at an Eagle River property. He was finally located and arrested on May 15.
It was during the investigation of Hattig for his part in the April 3 robbery that prosecutors determined that he was responsible for the other two unsolved robberies. In the July 7, 2017, robbery, Hattig supposedly stuffed cotton balls in his cheeks and wore stolen makeup as a disguise while he stole $3,000 from the bank. He had an unnamed co-conspirator in that crime who helped by making use of the hidden cul-de-sac. In the April 16 altercation, Hattig wore a mask and carried what seemed to be a gun, while stealing approximately $4,101, says Alaska Native News. Again, there was an unrevealed accomplice who waited in the cul-de-sac with a vehicle.
