‘Boonie Hat Bandit’ admits to 12 bank robberies
The Federal Bureau of Investigation offered a $5,000 reward for his capture, and five area police departments were involved in the search for him. Earlier this month, the bank robber dubbed the “Boonie Hat Bandit” pled guilty to robbing 12 area banks during a 12-month spree.
Donald Giammanco, 45, of Florissant, pled guilty to federal charges before United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry.
According to documents filed at the time of the plea, the Sept. 18, 2008, robbery of the Commerce Bank branch at 487 Old Smizer Mill Road, Fenton, was his last stop in the robbery spree.
Officials said Giammanco robbed banks nearly monthly from November 2007 until September 2008, when St. Louis County Police nabbed him.
During the last robbery, officials said a Commerce Bank branch employee followed Giammanco out of the branch and watched him enter his car, a blue Mercury Grand Marquis. The employee gave the license plate number and vehicle description to the police, and St. Louis County Police Officers arrested Giammanco after he drove away.
In his plea, Giammanco admitted that he robbed 12 banks.
Officials said that the amount of money stolen totaled $118,527. No one was hurt during any of the robberies.
Giammanco was charged with the following robberies (with the amounts stolen from each):
* Nov. 2, 2007: Bank of America, St. Charles, $6,064.
* Dec. 18, 2007: Bank of America, Mid-Rivers Mall Circle, St. Peters, $17,550.
* Dec. 31, 2007: Bank of America, St. Peters, $26,000.
* Feb. 1, 2008: Bank of America, Chesterfield, $1,298.
* Feb. 29, 2008: US Bank, Crestwood, $ 2,841.
* March 28, 2008: Bank of America, Fenton, $5,578.
* April 10, 2008: Commerce Bank, Maryland Heights, $9,565.
* May 5, 2008: Commerce Bank, Chesterfield, $3,189.
* May 5, 2008: Bank of America, St. Peters, $10,823.
* June 10, 2008: Bank of America, St. Peters, $16,714.
* Aug. 29, 2008: Bank of America, Wildwood, $6,291.
* Sept. 18, 2008: Commerce Bank, Fenton, $12,614.
Each of the 12 federal counts carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. Sentencing has been set for Aug. 13.
The FBI, St. Louis County Police Department, Chesterfield Police Department, St. Charles Police Department, St. Peters Police Department, Crestwood Police Department, and Assistant United States Attorneys Cristian Stevens and Ray Meyer - who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office - were commended for their work.
Giammanco was dubbed the “hat bandit” for sporting various hats during the heists. He wore a white cowboy hat, a baseball cap and a fishing hat, and eventually was nicknamed the “Boonie Hat Bandit” because of his use of a military-style hat commonly called a boonie hat in two robberies.
