Poker-playing Bankrobber Thomas Dougher Arrested

The hunt for the poker player who is alleged to have robbed two banks within four days in the Atlantic City area has ended after police arrested Thomas Dougher just before New Year…

As reported on PokerTube last week, the 2015 Borgata Summer Open winner Dougher was wanted in connection with bank robberies in Northfield and Pleasantville, New Jersey – as well as being the prime suspect in seven other brazen heists across a total of four states, the others being New York, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Dougher, who seemed to have done almost nothing to disguise himself during the robberies, won $149,127 when he outlasted a field of 2524 others at the 2015 Borgata Summer Open $350 buy-in Deepstack event, although he has only 2 minor cashes recorded since then on the HendonMob tournament database.

His arrest came about an hour after he is alleged to have robbed the PNC Bank in Absecon, New Jersey on Friday, police taking him into custody at a nearby Quality Inn and reportedly also discovering the stolen car Dougher is said to have used, in the parking garage of Caesars Atlantic City casino.

Pleasantville Police Capt. Matt Hartman said of the arrest:

“The successful cooperative investigation and uneventful arrest of Dougher, who previously served prison time for 11 robberies in 2007, is a testament to the importance of interaction between all levels of law enforcement from local to federal to achieve a common goal.”

Dougher, described as a ‘serial bank robber’, had previously served 3 years in jail for a series of 7 bank robberies in 2007. The previous heists followed a similar pattern to those he has been arrested for this week – an apparently unarmed Dougher entering the bank and presenting a demand note to the teller – the amount he escaped with not being released by the authorities.

Cardschat.com report that ‘Dougher is hardly the first bank robber with a poker connection’ describing how Wisconsin’s Gerald Heckathorn, ‘a regular on mid-tier tours like the Mid-States Poker Tour’ embarked upon ‘an 18-month cross-country spree’.