Cleveland Heights Man Charged with Seven Bank Robberies

A Cleveland Heights man was indicted for robbing seven banks and attempting to rob an eighth bank during the course of a month and focused mostly on the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland Field Office.

Kevin Walcott, age 40, was indicted on seven counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery. He got nearly $13,000 from the robberies, according to the indictment.

“This defendant is accused of robbing more than a half-dozen banks during a month-long spree,” Dettelbach said. “Each of these incidents put people at risk.”

Anthony said, “The valuable partnership between the public, local law enforcement, and the FBI helped put a stop to this string of bank robberies. The FBI commends the attentive citizens that assisted in bringing Kevin Walcott to justice.”

• The robberies alleged in the indictment are as follows: October 26: Dollar Bank, 2200 Warrensville Center Road, University Heights, $2,470.
• November 1: Ohio Savings Bank, 2066 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, $690.
• November 2: PNC Bank, 10900 Lorain Road, Cleveland, $2,194. November Citizens Bank, 5710 Mayfield Road, Lyndhurst, $1,021. 
• November 8: Key Bank, 911 East 185th Street, Cleveland, $3,660. 
• November 13: Huntington Bank, 920 East 185th Street, Cleveland, $800. 
• November 15: Huntington Bank, 20601 Fairmount Blvd., Shaker Heights, $2,069. Attempted: 
• November 21: PNC Bank, 20711 Chagrin Blvd. Shaker Heights. Walcott was arrested shortly after the attempted robbery of PNC Bank.

According to court documents, Shaker Heights police found a handwritten note on him that read, in part: “I have a gun and a police radio if I see police or hear the alarm you die first if I don’t make it out you die first give me all your 100 both drawers 50 20 I see bait money 10 you die.”

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any; the defendant’s role in the offense; and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney, following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Shaker Heights Police Department.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.