Quick Action Nets Arrest Of Prolific Bank Robber

Clearwater FL

30 November, 2021

10:02 PM

Description

CLEARWATER, FL — A man nicknamed the I-4 Bandit for his history of robbing banks two decades ago is accused of robbing a Clearwater bank Tuesday. Clearwater police and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office worked together to arrest David Marc Ratcliff, 55, who they said robbed the Wells Fargo bank at 639 S. Fort Harrison Ave. Tuesday. A call came in to Clearwater police at 10:44 a.m. about a man who walked into the bank and demanded money from a teller. When he became impatient with the time the teller was taking, he climbed over the counter to grab the money himself. He then left the band and a witness saw him get into a red Dodge magnum. Minutes later, a Clearwater police detective spotted the car getting gas on Clearwater-Largo Road. When a sheriff's deputy tried to conduct a traffic stop shortly at West Bay Drive, the Dodge fled at a high rate of speed. No pursuit was initiated, but the sheriff's office helicopter tracked the car to BelleairBeach, where police said Ratcliff abandoned the car and tried to steal a truck onHarbor Drive. The truck owner fought with Ratcliff. Ratcliff fled and was caught by a sheriff's office K-9 a short time later. This all took place within 26 minutes. Ratcliff was taken to Morton Plant Hospital for treatment before being taken to the Pinellas County Jail. Ratcliff was released from federal prison after being convicted of six counts of armed bank robbery in the late 1990s. Nicknamed the "I-4 bandit," he was suspected of as many as 19 bankrobberies along and near the Interstate 4 corridor two decades ago. He was a suspect in bank robberies this month in Temple Terrace and St. Petersburg. "Thanks to information from witnesses, alert Clearwater police detectives and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, we are grateful this repeat offender was captured," said Clearwater Police Chief Daniel Slaughter. "Based on Ratcliff's most recent string of crimes, we are hopeful this criminal career is finished for good this time." Ratcliff faced an armed robbery charge out of Clearwater and multiple charges from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. Clearwater PoliceClearwater police and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office worked together to arrest David Marc Ratcliff, 55, who they said robbed the Wells Fargo bank at 639 S. Fort Harrison Ave. Tuesday.