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Marat MihayluchRobber-drug addict
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Content:
- Biography of Marat Mikhailich
- The Bank Robbery Spree
- The Notorious Bank Robber
- The Motives and Capture
- A Troubled Past
Biography of Marat Mikhailich
Marat Mikhailich, a 35-year-old Ukrainian native, was arrested on Tuesday morning, March 29th, in New York City. He had been sought by the FBI for a series of armed bank robberies. As a heroin addict, Mikhailich managed to rob nine banks before finally being apprehended by federal agents due to his own mistake.

The Bank Robbery Spree
The string of bank robberies in New York City began on December 9th, 2010. The first target was a branch of Sovereign Bank in the Queens neighborhood. Dressed in all black, Mikhailich entered the branch and handed a note to the bank clerk, demanding all the cash. He demonstrated the seriousness of his intentions by showing a 9mm pistol. Initially, both the police and journalists did not pay much attention to this seemingly unremarkable event. The only striking detail in this routine robbery in predominantly African-American Queens was that the perpetrator was a white man. However, more bank robberies took place in December, with two more branches being targeted. The witnesses' testimonies matched those of the first robbery - the tall white man in black attire and sunglasses. It was clear that a serial robber was operating in the city. Due to the crimes occurring over the Christmas holidays, the robber quickly gained the nickname "Holiday Bandit." The FBI's special unit for investigating bank robberies took the case seriously. In mid-January 2011, they announced the identification of the robber - Marat Mikhailich, a 35-year-old Ukrainian living in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens.
The Notorious Bank Robber
Despite being identified, Mikhailich did not go into hiding as one might expect. Instead, a week after the FBI's announcement, he robbed another bank, deviating from his usual pattern. He continued to rob banks more frequently, including branches in New Jersey. Gradually, details of his crimes began to emerge in the press. Witnesses claimed that the robber acted boldly and decisively, making no effort to cover his tracks or disguise himself. He no longer attempted to hide his face, perhaps because at this point, Marat Mikhailich had become one of New York's most wanted criminals, with his description circulated everywhere.
The Motives and Capture
The FBI and police claimed that Mikhailich thoroughly prepared for his heists and was well-aware of various banking tricks, such as dye packs and marked bills designed to thwart criminals. "No dye packs, alarms, or marked money," he wrote in one of his notes to a bank clerk. Mikhailich always left the crime scenes on foot, and on one occasion, he managed to evade a police helicopter while on Staten Island on February 4th. His apparent elusiveness earned him the reputation of being the "John Dillinger of the 21st century." However, no one is immune to mistakes, including Ukrainian bank robber Marat Mikhailich.
On March 28th, Mikhailich robbed Cathay Bank in Edison, New Jersey. While fleeing the scene, he inexplicably deviated from his usual methods and attempted to catch a taxi (according to an implausible version, the robber had even pre-ordered the taxi). However, as soon as the taxi driver saw the gun in Mikhailich's hands, he abandoned the car and ran away. This is when Mikhailich made a fatal error - he decided to drive away in the stolen car himself, making it easier for federal agents to locate the vehicle rather than the person. Surveillance cameras in Queens recorded the stolen car, a 2007 Toyota Camry, along with Mikhailich. He was armed but offered no resistance during his arrest. According to FBI agents, the once-feared bank robber was cooperative and willingly spoke with them.
A Troubled Past
After his arrest, more details about Marat Mikhailich's life emerged, shedding light on the true motives behind his actions. According to unnamed sources involved in the investigation, Mikhailich was a heroin addict who was willing to do anything to find money for his next fix. Journalists added that on March 29th, Mikhailich was unable to attend his first court hearing as he urgently needed the assistance of addiction specialists.
If this version is confirmed, it raises a reasonable question - how did an addict obsessed with his next dose manage to evade New York detectives for over three months? It seems that the police's claims of Mikhailich's professionalism in robbing banks were merely an attempt to cover up their own incompetence.
This disheartening conclusion indirectly confirms another recent case involving another Ukrainian immigrant - Maxim Gelman. Gelman roamed New York City with a knife for more than a day, killing four people before being apprehended by subway passenger Joseph LoSito. The latter has already announced his intention to sue New York City for the cowardice and unprofessionalism of its police officers.