2020-04-14

On April 14, 2020 at approximately 4:02 PM, William Robert Lancaster walked into the Walmart Supercenter located at 5730 West Amarillo Blvd., Amarillo, Texas, and approached the First Convenience Bank located inside the Walmart. Witnesses described the robber as a white male in his thirties, short light brown hair with a scar on his head, approximately 5'08" tall, wearing a red hoodie sweatshirt with "New Mexico" on the front. Lancaster is a white male with short light brown hair with a scar on his head, 5'08" tall, and is 38 years old.

Lancaster approached the teller counter and told the teller he wanted to talk to the manager because he wanted to open an account and make a large deposit. When the manager and the teller returned, Lancaster told the manager and other tellers that this was a robbery and not to do anything funny or not to do any funny business. Lancaster also told tellers there were three other men inside the Walmart with guns and they had his wife at gunpoint outside the Walmart.

Lancaster ordered one of the tellers to give him the loose bills from inside his drawer. The teller brought the money to Lancaster and Lancaster told the teller to spread the money on the table. Lancaster then ordered another teller to bring him the loose bills in his drawer and spread the money on the table. Lancaster then ordered the teller to give him bag. Teller first gave him a bank bag and Lancaster said he wanted a plastic bag. The teller then gave him a clear plastic trash sack. Lancaster and the teller put the money in the bag and Lancaster left the bank. While he was walking out, Lancaster told tellers that for their sake, they (the tellers) better hope his wife isn't dead.

When Lancaster left, the bank manager hit the panic alarm and called 911 to tell police about the bank robbery. Amarillo Police Department (APD) Patrol Officers responded to the area. Patrol officers located Lancaster on the south side of the Walmart. Lancaster was wearing a red hoodie sweatshirt with "New Mexico" printed on the front. Lancaster was also holding a clear plastic trash bag full of loose cash money.

After Lancaster was in custody, the FBI drove tellers by Lancaster. The first teller told FBI Agents she was 100% certain the person (Lancaster) that was in police custody was the person who robbed the bank. She knew it was him because of the scar on his head, the hair style, and his height.

The second teller said he was 100% certain the person (Lancaster) that was in police custody was the person who robbed the bank. He knew it was him because of the facial features, his hair style, and the clothes he was wearing.

On the day of the bank robbery, law enforcement obtained video surveillance from the Walmart and the First Convenience Bank. The video surveillance showed a white male wearing a red hoodie style sweatshirt with "New Mexico" on the front. The male also had light brown hair and had a large scar on his head. The robber captured on video surveillance was nearly identical to the appearance of Lancaster shortly after he was detained by APD after the robbery. Video surveillance did not show Lancaster with other people nor did it show Lancaster getting out of a vehicle. With the video surveillance available, it showed Lancaster approached the Walmart on foot and by himself.

While with law enforcement after the bank robbery, Lancaster made several statements that were unsolicited. Lancaster said three guys put a gun to his head and forced him to rob the bank. He also told law enforcement they were holding his wife hostage. Later at Randall County Jail, he made the statement that his wife was dead and that she died the first time he "really" robbed a bank in 2013.

Based on the information set forth in the preceding paragraphs, I have probable cause to believe William Robert Lancaster entered the First Convenience Bank in Amarillo, Texas, told tellers he was committing a bank robbery, demanding money be brought to him and put in a bag, and warning bank employees not to do anything funny
and telling them there were three other men with guns inside the Walmart. Lancaster then took approximately $7,698.00 in cash from the First Convenience Bank, a federally insured financial institution, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C.2113.