MACCLENNY, Fla. – Two robbers who threw their clothing out the getaway car window as they were being chased by police were convicted of the 2005 armed hold-up at Country FCU of $147,000.
DNA collected from the clothes; a hat, t-shirt, a jacket and gloves was sent to the FBI forensics lab in Quantico, Va., where it was found to match the two suspects, who were ultimately convicted of the heist.
One of the robbers, Jabari Hird, 29, was sentenced yesterday to 34 years in prison and ordered to pay $147,111 in restitution. His accomplice, Rasheed Silvera, 31, was sentenced earlier to seven-and-a-half years in prison.
On the morning of April 12, 2005, Hird and Silvera drove to the area near the Mercantile Bank, which they planned to rob, and left a get-away car. The pair decided instead to rob the branch of the nearby Country FCU, according to prosecutors.
Before entering the credit union, they pair tied shirts over their faces. As they ran into the credit union Hird was waiving and pointing a firearm. Hird and Silvera told the tellers that they should do exactly what was asked of them if they ever wanted to see their children again.
Hird jumped over the barrier into the teller line and chased one of the tellers as she ran to the back door. He grabbed the teller and dragged her back and demanded that she open the vault. Ultimately another teller opened the vault and they stole more than $147,000.
As they drove their get-away car through the residential area, they threw their jackets, gloves, a hat, a T-shirt, and a pillowcase out of the car window. Deputies later discovered the discarded items and turned them over to the FBI.
