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Columbia Bank Bandit Sentenced to 4 Years
A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for robbing six Columbia banks, using a bicycle as his getaway vehicle. Shaun Christopher Becker, 43, of Columbia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to four years and nine months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Becker to pay $4,490 in restitution.
Becker, who pleaded guilty on Aug. 31, 2015, admitted that he robbed six Columbia banks between Nov. 20, 2014, and Jan. 3, 2015, using a bicycle for transportation and as a getaway vehicle.
The first robbery occurred on Nov. 20, 2014, at Missouri Bank II, 2500 Rangeline St. in Columbia, where Becker stole $3,890. Becker slid a demand note across a teller counter that said, “Put all the bills in the bag, except for $1’s, be quiet, keep smiling, and nobody needs to get hurt. Thank you.” The teller complied and took the note with her to the drive through teller window, where she activated the alarm. She then closed the bag and returned it to Becker, but retained the demand note. Becker fled the bank on a dark-colored bicycle, possibly a mountain bike, and eluded capture.
Becker’s next robbery occurred on Nov. 28, 2014, at First State Community Bank, 3200 Golden Bear Drive in Columbia, where he stole approximately $6,000. When Becker walked to the teller counter, the teller requested he remove his sunglasses. Becker ignored the teller and pulled a black bank bag from underneath his sweatshirt and laid it on the counter. He retrieved a demand note from within the bag and gave it to the teller. The note essentially stated, “Put all your large bills in the bag, keep smiling and no one will get hurt.” The teller complied and then returned both the bag and note to Becker, who calmly walked out of the bank and fled on a bicycle.
On Dec. 9, 2014, Becker stole $1,810 from UMB Bank, 1516 Chapel Hill Road in Columbia. Becker arrived at the bank riding a blue mountain bike; he entered the bank and walked to the teller counter. Upon reaching the counter, Becker, who was noticeably out of breath, slid a black bank bag and demand note across the counter toward the teller. The note was poorly written in pencil using lower case letters on the torn corner of a white piece of paper. The teller was only able to read the words “big bills” before Becker pulled the note back to himself. The teller concluded she was being robbed and gave Becker her stack of $100 bills. The teller did not include the $50 bills because she assumed they were too small, but relinquished them after Becker gave her a frustrated look. Becker collected the money from the counter, placed it into the black bag, calmly walked out of the bank, then got onto his bicycle and rode away.
Becker’s last five robberies were committed in the span of just over a month. On Dec. 15, 2014, he stole $600 from Boone County National Bank, 1916 Paris Road in Columbia. Becker arrived at the bank riding a bicycle. He laid his bike in the grass at the end of the walkway and walked into the bank. Becker immediately approached the teller counter, retrieving a black bank bag from underneath his sweatshirt as he approached. Once at the teller counter, Becker removed a demand note from the bank bag and presented it to the teller. She complied and gave the defendant $600 cash. Becker, who kept the demand note, then walked out of the bank, stuffing the bag into his pants as he departed. Once outside, he retrieved his bicycle and rode away.
Becker’s string of crimes also included the Dec. 22, 2014, robbery of Regions Bank, 2114 Paris Road in Columbia, where he stole $2,000. Becker arrived at the bank riding a bicycle, which he parked outside the bank. Becker walked into the bank and immediately approached the teller counter. Upon reaching the counter, Becker slid a demand note across the counter toward the teller. The note was poorly written in pencil using lower case letters on the torn corner of a white piece of paper. The teller was only able to read the words “big bills” before Becker pulled the note back to himself. The teller concluded she was being robbed and gave Becker her stack of $100 bills. Becker placed the money into the black bag, calmly walked out of the bank, then got onto his bicycle and rode away.
Becker’s last robbery occurred on Jan. 3, 2015, at Academy Bank, 1802 Bernadette Dr in Columbia, where he stole $2,000. Becker arrived at the bank riding a bicycle, which he parked outside the bank. Becker walked into the bank and immediately approached the teller counter. Upon reaching the counter, Becker slid a demand note across the counter toward the teller. The teller was only able to read the words “big bills” before Becker pulled the note back to himself. The teller concluded she was being robbed and gave Becker her stack of $100 bills. Becker placed the money into the black bag, calmly walked out of the bank, then got onto his bicycle and rode away.
Becker was apprehended and charged with six counts of bank robbery. He pleaded guilty on Aug. 31, 2015, and was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Becker to pay $4,490 in restitution.
A police K-9 officer located the bicycle and a black shoulder bag which contained Becker’s clothing. The items were concealed in a wooded area behind a business located approximately a half-mile from the bank near the MKT Trail.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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