Mask-Wearing Robber Convicted

PHILADELPHIA – Blair Thomas, Jr., 29, of East Lansdowne, PA, was convicted today of a bank robbery in Springfield, PA, the attempted armed robberies of postal employees in Yeadon and Darby, PA, and with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

In each robbery and robbery attempt, Thomas wore a special effects, movie quality mask as a disguise, and in each robbery attempt, he armed himself with a .45-caliber Ruger semi-automatic handgun.  On January 22, 2014, Thomas attempted to rob a United States Postal Service employee at the Yeadon Post Office, located at 709 Church Lane, of money orders.  That same day, Thomas brandished a firearm and tried to rob a United States Postal Service employee at the Darby Post Office, located at 801 Main Street, of money orders.  On January 23, 2014, Thomas robbed the Wells Fargo Bank, at 888 Baltimore Pike in Springfield, of approximately $1,890.

U.S. District Court Judge L. Felipe Restrepo scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 14, 2015.  Thomas faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison with a maximum sentence of life, up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1.5 million, and a $600 special assessment.

Thomas is also awaiting trial on separate charges in the District of Delaware.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Springfield, Yeadon, and Darby Police Departments.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Natali.