BOSTON — Jason S. Englen, 34, of Chelsea, is behind bars, accused of pulling off four brazen bank heists across Greater Boston in just under two weeks. Dubbed the “Spelling Bee Bandit” for his repeated misspelling of the word “robbery,” Englen was arrested today and charged with federal bank robbery counts stemming from stickups in Arlington, Reading, Burlington, and Peabody.
The spree began on Oct. 31, 2016, when a man entered the TD Bank branch in Arlington, walked up to a teller, and handed over a deposit slip scrawled with the word “ROBERY.” The teller complied, handing over cash before the man fled. No weapons were displayed, but the note was clear enough: this was a robbery. Surveillance footage was quickly released to the public, showing a man in a hoodie calmly walking out with stacks of bills.
He struck again on Nov. 5 at a TD Bank in Reading—same handwriting, same misspelled demand, same getaway. Two days later, on Nov. 7, a Salem Five branch in Burlington was hit. The note this time read “ROBERT,” but the MO was identical. Then on Nov. 13, he walked into TD Bank in Peabody and upped the ante—demanding $20s and $50s. Again, he got what he wanted. Again, he walked out without resistance.
Law enforcement pieced it together fast. The notes, the timing, the suspect’s build, and clothing matched across all four robberies. A joint bulletin went out, linking the crimes and asking the public for help. Tips poured in. Investigators traced the man in the footage to Jason S. Englen—already locked up in state custody on unrelated charges. Federal authorities moved swiftly, taking him into custody today on federal bank robbery charges.
Englen now faces up to 20 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and full restitution for all stolen funds. While federal sentences often fall below the maximum, the pattern of repeat offenses and the calculated nature of the robberies could weigh heavily when a U.S. District Court judge weighs sentencing under federal guidelines.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of the Major Crimes Unit. The announcement was made jointly by U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, FBI Boston Chief Harold H. Shaw, Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins, and police chiefs from Arlington, Reading, Burlington, and Peabody. The so-called ‘Spelling Bee Bandit’ may have flunked spelling—but he won’t beat the system this time.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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