Warrant issued for repeat criminal accused of robbing banks in Seattle

SEATTLE — A Seattle man was charged in King County Superior Court with three counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of first-degree attempted robbery.

In charging documents, prosecutors say Abdi Adam Yusuf, 31, committed three separate bank robberies and attempted two more in December.

On Dec. 31, one day after prosecutors say Yusuf committed his final bank robbery, he was pulled over in downtown Seattle. Police said there was no front license plate on the Acura Yusuf was driving.

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In a probable cause document, police said Yusuf failed to provide a driver’s license or proof of insurance and gave a fake name to the officer. A second officer arrived on the scene and placed Yusuf under arrest for false reporting after subsequent checks of the identity he provided were negative, according to a probable cause document.

Police said Yusuf consented to a search of his vehicle, and they located a 9 mm pistol that had a scratched off serial number. Yusuf was then transported to Seattle Police Department headquarters to meet with detectives.

Detectives said they informed Yusuf they were investigating a pattern of eight bank robberies dating back to Dec. 11.

“When Yusuf was shown bank surveillance photographs, he admitted his involvement in five of the eight bank robberies,” police wrote in a probable cause document.

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In the probable cause document, Yusuf admitted that the $1,100 in his possession at the time of his arrest were proceeds from a bank robbery the day prior.

“When (Yusuf) was arrested by the Seattle Police Department on December 31, 2019, he was in possession of a firearm despite being a multi-felony offender and on community custody status,” prosecutors wrote in charging documents.

Yusuf was released from jail on Jan. 14 after prosecutors say he posted $20,000 bail for the firearms charge. Prosecutors say he failed to appear at his arraignment on Jan. 16 and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Yusuf was charged with three counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of first-degree attempted robbery on Jan. 20 and remains at-large.

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“Given the multiple acts of firearm violence alleged in this case, coupled with the defendant’s history of violence and non-compliance with orders of this Court, the State requests bail set in the amount of $1,000,000,” prosecutors said.

Yusuf’s criminal history includes 23 arrests in western Washington since 2003, according to charging documents.

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