Alleged NW Ohio bank robber arrested

VW independent staff/submitted information

CLEVELAND — The FBI Northwest Ohio Safe Streets Task Force, along with the Findlay Police Department and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office have announced the arrest of a man accused of robbing four banks in four different counties and trying to rob a fifth in another county.

Gage Daniel Shafer Haws of Findlay was arrested without incident by the Findlay Police Department SWAT team at a home in Findlay February 24.

He’s accused of robbing Union Bank in Kalida, along with Premier Bank in Arlington, Old Fort Bank in Bettsville and State Bank and Trust in Delta between December 31 and February 16. In addition, he attempted to rob First National Bank of Sycamore in McCutchenville.

According to a press release issued Tuesday by the FBI, the arrest followed a lengthy joint investigation involving multiple agencies including the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Findlay Police Department, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Kalida Police Department, Seneca County Sheriff’s Office, Delta Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.

“Ensuring the public is safe and free from perpetrators who seek to keep the community and businesses on edge through their criminal actions are one of the FBI’s highest priorities,” Cleveland FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen said in the press release. “The strength of our partnerships among federal, state and local agencies is reflected in their swift action and careful work to identify and capture the subject.”

Haws is currently in custody pending a detention hearing on Friday.