"Burly Bandit" Arrested

On Tuesday, Sept. 6, Robert Ferguson was taken into custody for a robbery that took place at on Main Street in Somers in June 2010.

Ferguson, 48, from Lowell, MA, was taken into custody at the Federal Correctional Institute at Fort Dix in Trenton, NJ on two warrants from Rockville Superior Court. He was transported back to Connecticut where he was held on a $50,000 court set cash bond and held at Hartford Correctional Institution. Ferguson was arraigned at Rockville Superior Court on Wednesday.

Ferguson, dubbed the “Burly Bandit” by the FBI, was charged with first degree robbery, second degree larceny, carrying/brandishing a facsimile firearm, and second degree breach of peace for the Webster Bank robbery.

On June 24, 2010, Troop C in Tolland received a 911 call from the Webster Bank located at 637 Main St. in Somers regarding a bank robbery that had just occurred. A heavy set white male walked into the bank and demanded money from a bank manager.

He showed a black semi-automatic handgun he had inside a balck leather carrying case.

There were no injuries reported in the robbery.

Approximately 10 minutes prior to the Webster Bank robbery, the same suspect entered the , 500 feet west of the Webster Bank, wearing the same clothing.

He did not rob this bank but was charged with first degree attempt to commit robbery and second degree breach of peace for his actions.

EDMCS-C detectives responded on the day of the robbery and assumed the investigation. Detectives developed a suspect and obtained two arrest warrants. 

Ferguson’s arrest was the result of multiple agencies working together. The FBI, state police departments from Connecticut, MA, ME, NH, RI, and NY, as well as multiple local police departments in all states, played a pivolatal role in the investigation and arrest. 

Ferguson was previously tried in Federal Court on 11 other bank robberies in New England and New York and is serving his sentence at Fort Dix while awaiting trial for the two bank robberies in Connecticut.