A Texas man, David Rodriguez, was seen attempting a holiday-themed bank robbery while wearing a mask, sunglasses, and a Santa Claus hat to remain unidentified.
The incident began when Rodriguez walked into a local bank in Texas, wearing a facemask topped with a festive Santa Claus hat. Confronting bank employees, he demanded cash while claiming he brought “gifts” in his bag.
He said, “Merry Christmas. Hi. How are you? Got gifts. Just put some in there. Nothing funny. Nobody gets hurt.”
Although he managed to flee the building with $6,000 in stolen cash, his escape faltered immediately. Rodriguez dropped $3,000 on the pavement as he fled on foot, leaving behind half his haul and giving detectives a strong indication that the robber lived nearby.
The Huntsville Police Department took the surveillance footage of the suspect and circulated distinct photos of the disguised robber on Facebook.
A former co-worker of Rodriguez spotted the social media post and immediately recognized the festive headwear. The acquaintance contacted the cops after four days, confirming that the Santa hat worn during the heist was the exact one Rodriguez had previously bought for restaurant staff. The Texas tipster also alerted authorities about Rodriguez’s increasingly erratic behaviour and his deep obsession with local media coverage of the bank robbery.
The police bodycam footage shows the co-star saying, “David, I knew him from working with him a lot. He was the kitchen manager up there. That’s how I knew him to begin with. So we were hanging out a lot at that time and I noticed hanging out with him. I figured out real quick maniac like he would be stealing random and I would be like what are you doing? Why are you doing that? You know he would be stealing stuff all the time. And then shortly after that he had robbed the college and then came and told me about it.”
The tipster further notes, “One of the things that he mentioned was like how the robber came up to the bank. Okay. Well, that’s not in the description at all. That Santa Claus hat he got from La Mision. Two years ago, we had a Christmas when the restaurant opened. He had bought a bunch of Santa Claus hats for every work up there during the holidays.”
Cops cross-referenced the clothing and footwear from the bank’s security footage with Rodriguez’s known wardrobe. Undercover police established a perimeter around his house, maintaining strict surveillance for several hours before moving to execute the arrest warrant.
The arrest got chaotic when Rodriguez resisted it. During the physical struggle, Rodriguez attempted to disarm an officer by seizing their service weapon, forcing deputies to use physical force to neutralize him. Officials confirmed that Rodriguez sustained injuries during the melee and had to be transported to the local hospital under guard before being cleared for booking.
David Rodriguez was convicted on multiple counts, including robbery, two counts of aggravated assault against a peace officer, taking a weapon from an officer, and resisting arrest, according to court records detailed by the Hidden Crime Network. However, the two counts of aggravated assault were dismissed.
He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and is currently serving his time at the Gibb Lewis unit. His request for parole was denied in 2025, due to the nature of his offence and his criminal history. He is eligible for another parole review in November 2028.
