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Miami Herald
05-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Ex-deputy slips note to teller saying she has a gun, then robs bank, FL cops say
A former deputy walked into a bank and handed a teller a note that said to fill a bag with $50,000, and she would shoot if any alarms went off, Florida authorities said. The Ocala Police Department said officers tracked down 40-year-old Christina Gates Thagard 11 minutes after the reported robbery and arrested her. According to an arrest affidavit, the morning of May 3, a person wearing a Jack Skeleton hoodie and a face mask was seen on surveillance footage walking into a TD Bank. Police said that person gave a teller a note that said, 'This is a Robbery, I have a gun and will shoot if any alarms or dye packs are (enclosed). Fill this bag with ... at least 50K. Big bills only. Wait 2 mins to call Police.' The suspect had white acrylic nails on three fingers on her right hand and wore a glove on her left hand, police said. She made out with a little over $5,000 and fled, according to police. Footage shared by the police department showed Thagard surrendering to law enforcement when cops came up behind her car at a stoplight. Investigators said they found items used during the robbery, including a purse filled with money, a blue glove, a medical mask and the Jack Skeleton hoodie. Thagard told investigators that she had plans to go shopping for clothes that morning and stopped by a friend's house beforehand, then she let him and another woman borrow her car to run an errand while she waited at the house, according to the report. She said they came back and 'were acting strange,' then she got back in her car and left, police said. She said she found some of the items reportedly used in the robbery but didn't think anything of it, since her car was often messy with her kids' things, according to police. Thagard denied carrying out the robbery and said she didn't know why law enforcement had stopped her. Investigators wrote in the report they didn't recover a gun but believed Thagard was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. She was charged with robbery with a firearm, records show. The Marion County Sheriff's Office confirmed Thagard was a former deputy but hadn't been with the agency since 2016. Ocala is about an 80-mile drive northwest from Orlando.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
Former law enforcement officer arrested after armed bank robbery in Marion County, police say
The Brief A former law enforcement officer was arrested Friday after allegedly robbing a TD Bank and fleeing with over $5,000. Police caught Christina Gates Thagard within 11 minutes and recovered stolen money and evidence from her vehicle. ORLANDO, Fla. - An Ocala woman was arrested Friday morning after police say she robbed a TD Bank branch at gunpoint and fled with more than $5,000 before being caught within minutes. What we know Christina Gates Thagard, 40, was taken into custody around 10:52 a.m., just 11 minutes after the reported robbery at the bank on SE 17th Street, according to the Ocala Police Department. Officers stopped her vehicle on SW College Road near the College of Central Florida and recovered the stolen cash, clothing, a medical glove, and other items believed to have been used in the robbery. Investigators said Thagard entered the bank wearing a hoodie, sunglasses, and a medical mask. She handed the teller a note stating, "This is a Robbery, I have a gun and will shoot if any alarms or dye packs are inclosed. Fill this bag with all at least 50K. Big bills only. Wait 2 mins to call Police." Surveillance footage and physical evidence, including clothing and a purse matching those used in the robbery, further tied her to the crime. Thagard initially denied involvement, claiming two acquaintances had borrowed her car and may have committed the robbery without her knowledge. However, detectives noted several physical similarities between her and the suspect on video, including unique fingernail patterns and clothing. Dig deeper The Marion County Sheriff's Office confirmed Thagard is a former law enforcement officer. Officials did not immediately clarify whether she served as a deputy or specify her employment dates. Due to her former LEO status, her mugshot is exempt from public release and is not available online. Thagard was charged with robbery with a firearm and booked into the Marion County Jail without bond. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local: Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source The information in this article comes from a report shared by the Ocala Police Department.
