'Route 91 Bandit' suspect arrested, identified as Mass. man

Paul Feely, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·3 min read
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Dec. 1—The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston office announced Thursday it has arrested a Massachusetts man — dubbed the Route 91 Bandit — wanted for allegedly robbing 11 banks in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont since September 2021.

Taylor Dziczek, 30, of Chicopee, Mass., was arrested Thursday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with robbing a Connecticut bank earlier this year.

The complaint alleges Dziczek is also a suspect in several other bank robberies across New England.

Dziczek appeared Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford, Connecticut. He was ordered detained.

As alleged in the complaint, the FBI and state and local law enforcement have been investigating 14 robberies and one attempted robbery of banks and credit unions between September 2021 and August 2022 in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire, which authorities believe were committed by the same individual.

Tom Carson, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Connecticut, said Dziczek was identified as a suspect who allegedly robbed the People's United Bank at 117 East Street in Plainville, Connecticut, on May 26.

In that incident, investigators say a man entered the bank, approached the teller counter and gave the teller a note stating words to the effect of, "I have a gun. Don't call 911. Don't set off any alarms."

When the teller stated she did not have any more money, investigators say the man pulled what appeared to be a black gun from the front pocket of his sweatshirt and made additional statements, including "Give me all the money," "I have a gun," and "Don't be a hero."

Carson said investigators believe the man removed some of the paper money wrappers from the money he received from the teller and discarded them at the bank before fleeing the scene. Plainville police detectives collected the discarded money wrappers as evidence.

Prosecutors said on Oct. 21, FBI special agents observed Dziczek while he was in the MGM Casino in Springfield, Mass., and retrieved a Red Bull energy drink can with a black straw they saw Dziczek drinking.

"Laboratory analysis connected DNA found on the black straw to DNA found on discarded money wrappers from the Plainville bank robbery," Carson said in a release.

The charge of bank robbery carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Officials nicknamed the thief the Route 91 Bandit because all 11 of the bank robberies occurred in cities and towns located along or near Route 91.

Federal officials allege the same thief is responsible for the following robberies:

—Sept. 9, 2021, at approximately 10:21 a.m., Arrha Credit Union, 63 Park Ave., West Springfield, Mass.;

—Sept. 20, 2021, at approximately 11:50 a.m., American Eagle Credit Union 201 Elm St., Enfield, Connecticut;

—Oct. 4, 2021, around 4:50 p.m., People's United Bank, 479 Canal St., Brattleboro, Vermont;

—Oct. 15, 2021, around 10:45 a.m., Webster Bank, 2 North Road, East Windsor, Connecticut;

—Oct. 22, 2021, at 11:45 a.m., Webster Bank, 637 Main St., Somers, Connecticut;

—Nov. 5, 2021, around 3:18 p.m., Workers Credit Union, 107 Tower Road, Athol, Mass.;

—Nov. 19, 2021, around 4:42 p.m., Liberty Bank, 27 Dale Road, Avon, Conn.;

—Nov. 20, 2021, at 8:46 a.m., Savings Bank of Walpole, 400 West St., Keene;

—Dec. 16, 2021, at 11:48 a.m., Greenfield Cooperative Bank, 176 Avenue A, Montague, Mass.;

—Jan. 6, 2022, around 10:50 a.m., Keystone Bank, 122 Prospect Hill Road, East Windsor, Conn.;

—Jan. 27, 2022, around 5:52 p.m., Franklin First Federal Credit Union, 57 Newton St., Greenfield, Mass.

A reward of up to $10,000 was offered for information leading to his arrest.

Kristen M. Setera, a spokesperson for the FBI Boston Division, said in an email despite receiving dozens of tips, Dziczek was ultimately identified by investigators.