Alvin Robertson, Bank Robbery, Connecticut 2018

A Bridgeport man accused of terrorizing central Connecticut with a string of armed robberies has admitted his guilt. Alvin Robertson, 56, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport to one count of bank robbery, confessing he carried out three bank heists and two violent robberies at Subway locations in 2018.

U.S. Attorney John H. Durham confirmed the plea, which was entered before Judge Victor A. Bolden. Robertson admitted to brandishing a knife during the May 20, 2018, robbery of a Subway store at 9 Ethan Allen Highway in Ridgefield. He pointed the blade at a clerk and growled, “Give me all your money or I will kill you,” according to court records.

Less than two months later, on July 22, 2018, Robertson struck again—this time at a Subway on 447 Monroe Turnpike in Monroe. Though no gun was recovered, he threatened staff by claiming he was armed, then fled with cash. His spree escalated to banks, hitting a People’s United Bank branch in Monroe on August 29, then striking two more in Watertown and Berlin on September 21 and 25, respectively.

Authorities say Robertson’s crime wave ended when he was arrested on related state charges on September 27, 2018. He has remained in custody ever since. Prosecutors emphasized his criminal history, noting Robertson has prior federal and state convictions for bank robbery—marking him as a repeat offender with a pattern of violent theft.

The investigation was a joint effort involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police departments in Watertown, Ridgefield, Monroe, and Berlin. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito, who underscored the coordinated response to stop a suspect who endangered multiple communities in a short time span.

Robertson now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. No sentencing date has been set. Federal prosecutors are pushing for the full weight of the law, citing the repeated use of threats and weapons, as well as Robertson’s extensive criminal past.

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