SANDY, Utah, July 13, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A man has been arrested after two alleged aggravated bank robberies in Sandy.
A probable cause statement from the 3rd District Court of Salt Lake County said Alan Khalid Karam, 39, of Sandy, is facing two counts of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony.
On Monday, a Sandy police detective responded to a bank robbery at the Cyprus Credit Union at 9383 S. 700 East. It was learned that a robbery note was presented by a male suspect that stated: “This is a stick up! I need $12,000 on the counter now! Or I will shoot. No dye packs. No GPS. No alarms/Don’t be a hero. Please don’t be a hero — people will die! You have five seconds before I shoot — Thank you,” the probable cause statement said.
The suspect was given $4,700 and left the bank on foot. He was later observed on security video going from the bank to Maverik across the street where he purchased a beverage.
A Sandy police sergeant recognized the suspect as appearing to be the same man that robbed Mountain America Credit Union at 858 E. 9400 South in Sandy in a similar fashion on July 2, the statement said. In the Mountain America Credit Union robbery, the male suspect entered the bank and presented the bank teller with a similar note demanding $5,000, claiming to be armed, and threatened to shoot if the demand was not met. The suspect also wrote “Thank you” at the end of the note.
The robbery note from the Mountain America Credit Union robbery had been recovered and was at the Utah State Crime Lab where Sandy Police Investigations were awaiting the results of the analysis to see if any fingerprints on the note could lead to the identification of a suspect.
Sandy police called the Utah State Crime Lab, and learned that a preliminary hit from a fingerprint on the note came back to a male named Alan Khalid Barzangy. It was found that his name on previous court proceedings and on his driver’s license was Alan Khalid Karam. It is believed that the last name Barzangy is an alias.
Sandy police conducted surveillance at Karam’s residence and observed him leave the residence as a passenger in a vehicle. Officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop on the vehicle at 1130 E. Webster Drive in Sandy and took Karam into custody.
After being read his Miranda rights, Karam told officials he is currently unemployed and was denied state assistance benefits as well. Karam said he owes several people money and added that these individuals are aware of his family and children.
“He reported that an associate told him he could make money by robbing banks,” the statement said. “Mr. Karam reported that he conducted internet searches on bank robbery demand notes and that is how he came up with the verbiage used in the notes from both of the robberies. He denied owning a gun, or using a gun in either the Mountain America robbery from July 2 or the Cyprus Credit Union robbery.”
Karam said that before robbing the Mountain America Credit Union on July 2, he walked from his nearby house to the bank and sat by a tree near the bank “contemplating if he should rob the bank or not,” the statement said.
“He explained that while sitting by the tree, he received a text message from one of the individuals he owed money to. After receiving the text, he proceeded to enter Mountain America Credit Union and committed the robbery, then walked back home, which is east of the credit union.”
Karam also said that prior to the Cyprus Credit Union robbery Monday, he again reported that he walked to the credit union from his house.
“He stated he waited near the Biomat Plasma center for awhile contemplating on whether to commit the robbery,” the statement said. “Again, he reported he received a message from one of the individuals he owed money to, and proceeded to then enter Cyprus Credit Union and commit the robbery.”
After Karam allegedly committed the robbery at Cyprus Credit Union, he rode to Salt Lake to meet one of the individuals he owed money to and paid them some money, he told officers. While in the area, he also got a haircut. He also changed his clothes, he said.
When questioned about the haircut and his change of clothing, Karam denied it was an attempt to evade police detection.
A search warrant was served at Karam’s residence where money, and clothing from both robberies was recovered and collected for evidence.
He was transported to Salt Lake County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
