Man Suspends Gambling Session To Rob Bank, Then Returns To Tables, Police Say

Authorities say a man robbed a bank shortly after leaving an Oklahoma casino, only to take the cash from the heist and continue gambling at another nearby casino.

A man by the name of Frankie Paul Gabaldon is accused of robbing the First United Bank near Oklahoma City in the late afternoon on Aug. 14 following a trip to the Riverwind Casino in the city of Norman, OK. He allegedly threatened a bank teller and made off with $3,000 in $100 bills.

After fleeing the bank, his car broke down on the highway but he was able to hitchhike to the Newcastle Casino, located just about 12 miles from Riverwind, according to the government’s criminal complaint. Police were able to catch up with Gabaldon, 28, at the Newcastle Casino and arrested him. He had $1,400 in his pocket at the time of the arrest, according to court documents.

Gabaldon’s girlfriend is an employee at Riverwind, and police used her to allegedly identify him from the security camera photos at the bank. Gabaldon has denied robbing the bank.

Gabaldon was a former employee at Riverwind. His girlfriend reportedly told the FBI that he was fired for gambling while at work and has a serious addiction.

This isn’t the first case of a gambler leaving a casino to rob a bank (allegedly) and returning to continue playing. In January, a man from West Virginia pleaded guilty to bank robbery after putting a $25 chip on a blackjack table to keep his seat and then driving 13 miles to a nearby bank. After leaving with about $5,000 in cash, he returned to the same blackjack table.

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