Durham announced this week that Alexander Laister, 25, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court to one count of armed bank robbery and admitted that he robbed a total of five banks between November 2016 and June 2017.
According to court documents, Laister admitted to robbing Webster Bank on Merwin Avenue in Milford, Key Bank on Main Street in Plainville, Key Bank on Boston Post Road in Westbrook, the People’s United Bank inside the Stop and Shop location on Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton and the People’s United Bank inside the Stop and Shop on Amity Road in New Haven.
Durham said that during the Shelton robbery, Laister wielded a pistol and during the Plainville and Westbrook robberies he threatened to kill or shoot employees at the bank if they did not comply with his demands.
Laister was apprehended in Stratford last June following a two-hour standoff with local and federal law enforcement. He was in possession of a .380 caliber pistol and a magazine loaded with two bullets. Further investigation led to the seizure of the clothes he wore during the New Haven robbery, which were in his car. Police also found a makeup kit he used to disguise his features and a Stop and Shop circular.
Following his guilty plea, Laister was remanded. He is due to be sentenced on May 17, when he will face a maximum of 25 years in prison.
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