Suspected ‘Boonie Hat Bandit’ arrested after alleged credit union robberies

Dennis Leota. Photo Courtesy: Davis County Jail

SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah, Sept. 25, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — The “Boonie Hat Bandit,” suspected of two credit union robberies in July and August, has been arrested.

Unified Police Department said in a tweet Wednesday morning that Dennis Leota, 40, was arrested Tuesday night in Saratoga Springs by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force. He was identified from a social media post.

According to an earlier UPD news release, on July 1, the suspect entered the Mountain America Credit Union, at 1298 E. Murray Holladay Road, in Salt Lake City, and robbed the bank of an undisclosed amount of money. He then fled on foot.

On Aug. 2, the same man allegedly robbed the Cyprus Credit Union, at 3578 W. 4700 South, in West Valley City.

The suspect wore a boonie hat in each instance.

The Unified and West Valley City police departments, in conjunction with the FBI, released surveillance photos and a description of the suspect.

Leota was booked into the Davis County Jail, where he is being held without bail on robbery charges.

The surveillance photos released by UPD Photo Unified Police Department

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