American Notes Crime

Vincent Arthur Hall was a polite, mild-mannered disability analyst at the New York State social-services department. Away from the office he was a wild and crazy guy. In June, police say, Hall took a day off, went to a bank in Queens and threatened to blow a teller's head off unless he handed over some cash. But as he fled the scene with $725, Hall dropped the Manila envelope he used to conceal a gun and a holdup note. The envelope was stamped with his employer's address, and although the address had been inked out, the FBI was able to track him down two weeks ago.

Federal prosecutors say Hall, 50, is suspected of robbing an additional 20 banks since April, getting away with an estimated $70,000. What's more, he has a criminal record dating back some 20 years and spent three years in prison for killing a guard in a 1977 bank robbery. A social-services department spokesman said the agency was "aware of some of his record" but had no idea about "his alleged extracurricular activities." Prosecutors called the state's decision to hire Hall in 1981 "mind boggling."