Accused Granny Bandit Nabbed After Low Speed Chase

Geriatric "Jessica James" Claimed She Robbed Bank To Help Poor 3/7/06

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By Seamus McGraw

WEST MIFFLIN, PA (Crime Library) A 75-year-old woman with a Pittsburgh Steelers cap pulled down over her face and an unloaded 9 mm handgun in the waist band of her sweat suit was arrested on charges of armed robbery Monday after she allegedly held up a supermarket branch of the National City Bank, police said.

Identified as Marilyn Devine, the geriatric "Jessica James" was arrested after what police described as a "low speed pursuit" through the streets of West Mifflin. The accused granny bandit allegedly told arresting officer that she had borrowed her husband's handgun and robbed the bank "to help people who are starving to death and nobody cares about them." The woman later admitted that she and her husband were having financial difficulties, West Mifflin Police Chief Joe Popovich told Crime Library.

The case began about 10:35 am Monday when Devine, wearing a distinctive blue coat with green stripes, the Steelers cap — she had taken the time to cut eye holes in it — and with a gold colored scarf wrapped around her face, stalked up to the counter of the bank branch inside her local Shop n' Save supermarket and demanded all the cash from a stunned teller.

"He gave her all the money, and she said, 'I want more'," Popovich said. Devine also warned the teller "don't give me the ink pack," the chief added, referring to a specific package of exploding bills some banks set aside in the event of a heist. The ink pack is designed to douse would-be bandits in brightly colored, indelible ink. After cleaning out the first teller's cash drawer, Devine allegedly turned her attention to a second teller, a young woman who had been on the job just four days. The accused granny bandit stuffed all the cash in a white plastic bag, the chief said, then calmly walked out of the store and climbed into her getaway car, a tan Ford Escort.

 

Contact Seamus McGraw at seamusm@ptd.net

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