ALCOA (WATE) - FBI agents have caught a serial bank robber
who they believe has hit at least four banks in almost two years.
Officials apprehended 79-year-old Gerald Hytken after he
allegedly attempted to rob the BB&T Bank on Associates Boulevard in Alcoa
Thursday.
An Alcoa police officer spotted Hytken's getaway vehicle, a
2000 Buick Regal, and pulled over the suspect just a short time
later.
Officials believe Hytken may be responsible for other
robberies in the region, with the first dating back to January 14, 2011 at the
Clayton Bank and Trust Farragut location.
"It was close to closing time. It was a few minutes before six,
and the robbery took nine minutes," explained Annie Aceree, who works for the bank.
The FBI says all his robberies were rather violent crimes. He
came in with his face covered and holding a gun as the banks were
closing.
"He controls the employees, in what you would call a takeover-style robbery where he physically controls the bank tellers in the back, then
exits the bank," described Special Agent Michael MacLean, with the Knoxville FBI
office.
Interestingly, Hytken is not the first local serial bank
robber in a slightly older demographic.
Among others, there's the "Grandpa
Bandit" from 2007 and the "Granddad Bandit" from 2010.
Hytken is now facing federal charges for all of the
incidents.
