Baldwin Bank Robbers Update

Bay Minette Baldwin New information tonight about a gang of bank robbers who have spent the last four months terrorizing banks in Baldwin County.

by Debbie Williams

Published: Fri, December 19, 2008 - 4:06 pm CST Last Updated: Fri, December 19, 2008 - 5:41 pm CST

The Colonial Bank in Lillian, hit two weeks ago by armed bandits. Sheriff's investigators have identified these two men as Marcus Schaefer and Greg Baber.
This was the last of four bank robberies all connected to Schaefer, Baber, J.D. Godwin and Sidney Clark according to Sheriff Hoss Mack. "Not all were involved in all robberies but there was consensus and planning in these robberies."
This is not the first time some of the suspects have had run-ins with the law. We did a little digging and this is what we found: Godwin, the man investigators call the "mastermind", has a criminal history that includes the murder of his brother-in-law in Tennessee and other violent crimes like assault.
Clark also has a history with law enforcement, mostly on drug charges, dating back to 1997.
Schaefer, Godwin and Clark are being held in the Baldwin County jail. In a hearing Friday morning, bond was set for Clark and Godwin at two million dollars each. Major Anthony Lowery says there's good reason. "At this point we see them as a tremendous flight risk. In addition, we see these people as a danger to the citizens of Baldwin County."
Baber is being held in the Cullman County jail on a probation violation and hasn't been brought back to Baldwin County, yet.
After seeing what all four men are capable of, law enforcement hopes this is the beginning of a long stay behind bars for all of them.
One other note; there is a connection to a horrific traffic crash in Robertsdale almost ten years ago at the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Baldwin County road 71. Five teenagers, in a truck, running from police, crashed into a semi-truck. All five teenagers were killed. Two of them were J.D. Godwin's children 17 year old Jessica and 14 year old Jeremiah.

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