Serial Bank Robber Pleads Guilty
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 12, 2013 |
PHILADELPHIA—Tarik Hooks, 35, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty today to robbing six banks and attempting to rob three others between February 2, 2013 and February 21, 2013. Hooks admitted that on February 2, 2013, he robbed the Citizen’s Bank branch located inside the Acme supermarket at 121 East City Avenue, in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania; on February 8, 2013, he robbed the Wells Fargo Bank branch at 65 West Baltimore Avenue in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania; on February 12, 2013, he robbed the TD Bank at 401 West Lancaster Avenue in Haverford, Pennsylvania; on February 14, 2013, Hooks robbed the Sovereign Bank at 1 Belmont Avenue in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania; on February 17, 2013, he robbed the TD Bank at 5501 Ridge Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and on February 21, 2013, he robbed the TD Bank at 2200 Garrett Road in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.
Hooks also pleaded guilty to unsuccessful robberies at the Citizen’s Bank branch inside the Giant supermarket, at 543 North Oak Avenue in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania, on February 7, 2013; the Citizen’s Bank branch, at 543 North Oak Avenue in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania, on February 9, 2013; the TD Bank branch, at 5501 Ridge Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 14, 2013.
In addition to the nine counts of the indictment, the defendant also admitted today to robbing a Citizen’s Bank located inside an Acme market at 2084 Naamans Road, in Wilmington, Delaware, on February 10, 2013, at approximately 11:20 a.m. The defendant has agreed that, for purposes of calculating his Sentencing Guideline range and restitution, the February 10 bank robbery shall be treated as if the defendant had been convicted of the offense.
Hooks faces a maximum possible sentence of 180 years in prison, a fine of up to $2.25 million, and $900 in special assessments when sentenced on November 12, 2013.
The case was investigated by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Lower Merion Township Police Department, Landsdowne Police Department, and Aldan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Pedro de la Torre.