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A Lancaster man was sentenced last week to more than 11 years in prison for robbing two Avidia Bank branches and a Cornerstone Bank branch.

Matthew Alden, 27, was sentenced in Worcester federal court to 136 months in prison and three years of supervised release, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office. Because of prior convictions that included a 2018 robbery conviction, Alden was sentenced as a career offender. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $14,914. Alden had pleaded guilty to three counts of bank robbery in December 2020.

According to the statement, Alden robbed the Cornerstone Bank on South Main Street in Leicester on Dec. 12, 2019, stealing $9,906. About two weeks later, Alden robbed the Avidia Savings Bank on Maple Street in Marlborough, stealing $3,980, and on Feb. 21, 2020, he robbed the Avidia Bank on Maple Avenue in Shrewsbury, stealing $1,028.

A gas station surveillance camera caught Alden purchasing items inside of the gas station a few hours later, according to the statement. Other video surveillance had shown Alden near the vicinity of the bank the day before, looking at video cameras.

Alden was arrested on Feb. 26, 2020, and the U.S. attorney’s office said a search of his phone found photos of Alden wearing clothing that was worn during the robberies and multiple photos of cash, including a photo taken inside his vehicle on the day of the Leicester bank robbery. According to the statement, metadata showed that the photo was taken approximately 14 minutes after the robbery occurred.

Alden also wrote himself notes on his phone, according to the statement, including the address of the Shrewsbury bank and reminders to throw away clothing at the Salvation Army. The statement said Alden went to the Salvation Army in January 2020 and a consignment store after the Shrewsbury robbery. When he was arrested, Alden was holding a notepad with a list of 12 banks in Massachusetts and New Hampshire with notes such as, “TD open until 7 on Friday check to see rear,” the statement said, and several articles of clothing identical to those worn during the robberies were found in Alden’s house.

Lancaster Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Bank Robberies

by Banker & Tradesman time to read: 1 min
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