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Local senior citizen turned armed bank robber explains why he did it

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Local senior citizen turned armed bank robber explains why he did it
At the age of 75, John Dougherty expected to be enjoying his retirement in a sunny South Florida.The Ohio native is still in Florida. But he'll be spending the next eight years locked up behind bars inside the South Florida Reception Center in Miami-Dade.Download the app: IOS | Android"I replay it probably every week. Go over it, from getting out of the car to the time I got back in the car. How stupid! Just how dumb," said Dougherty.WPBF 25 first met Dougherty on Jan. 22, 2014. He was being escorted from the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office in handcuffs to a patrol car.The then, 73-year-old was arrested in a robbery at the TD Bank at 5053 Turnpike Feeder Road in the Lakewood Park area of northern St. Lucie County.Investigators stated Dougherty was wearing a pair of faded black underwear on his face when he walked into the bank carrying a shotgun in one hand and a bag in the other. The teller complied with his demands, and then he left the bank with an undetermined amount of cash."Basically it wasn't premeditated. I just got up that morning, I think it was on a Tuesday of January, and decided I was going to get some money out of the bank illegally," said Dougherty.According to an arrest, report Dougherty was on a fixed income and gambled away his money on horses and Texas hold-em, a variation of poker. Dougherty had been going to Jai-Alai playing Texas hold-em. He had been down on his luck and in debt about $3,000.WPBF 25 News reporter Angela Rozier talked to the now-convicted bank robber in prison and asked him why he did it.Dougherty replied, " I was broke!"He said five years ago, his life started going downhill. He lost all of his savings, couldn't pay bills and was living off Social Security."My out go for the most part Angela was more than what my income was, so it was a negative situation. I didn't have money to buy groceries," said Dougherty. "It was a dumb, dumb. I wouldn't recommend anybody, regardless of the situation, to do what I did. If I had to do it all over again, I certainly wouldn't have done it."Dougherty said he had nothing and nowhere to go.In 2000, the 75-year-old retired water treatment industry employee moved from Minnesota to a Treasure Coast retirement community in Fort Pierce.Neighbor Martha Pease has been friends with Dougherty for seven years."It's hard to believe that he was that down and out," said Pease.She described the father of three as kind and compassionate."I think he just wanted to make a statement. He was down and out. There's a lot of people down and out, and for some ungodly reason he choose to go the the bank and rob it," said Pease.WPBF asked Dougherty why didn't he reach out to family for help, and he admitted he was too proud."I never been one to ask for anything. Shame on me, but that's the way I'm built," said Dougherty.WPBF found a place where he could have gone for some assistance.211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast Helpline community relations director Patrice Schroeder said her team can offer help to seniors in all kinds of situations."We hear stories like this all the time. We have seen seniors that are living on fixed incomes and often it's that tough decision: Do I feed myself, do I get medication, do I feed my pets?" said Schroeder.She admits no one needs to grab a gun and rob a bank, but they can pick up the phone and call the 211 hot line."We know there are a lot of stress elders out in our community that may not know where to turn and picking up the phone and dialing 211 is a good starting place," said Schroeder.Dougherty said his family is very disappointed in him. He said he hasn't had a traffic ticket in 40 years. He also says the gun wasn't loaded, but he understands that didn't matter.He has eight years left of a 10-year sentence with a 2024 scheduled release date.He said if he's alive then, the first thing he's going to do when he gets out is return to the bank and apologize to the teller. 

At the age of 75, John Dougherty expected to be enjoying his retirement in a sunny South Florida.

The Ohio native is still in Florida. But he'll be spending the next eight years locked up behind bars inside the South Florida Reception Center in Miami-Dade.

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Download the app: IOS | Android

"I replay it probably every week. Go over it, from getting out of the car to the time I got back in the car. How stupid! Just how dumb," said Dougherty.

WPBF 25 first met Dougherty on Jan. 22, 2014. He was being escorted from the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office in handcuffs to a patrol car.

The then, 73-year-old was arrested in a robbery at the TD Bank at 5053 Turnpike Feeder Road in the Lakewood Park area of northern St. Lucie County.

Investigators stated Dougherty was wearing a pair of faded black underwear on his face when he walked into the bank carrying a shotgun in one hand and a bag in the other. The teller complied with his demands, and then he left the bank with an undetermined amount of cash.

"Basically it wasn't premeditated. I just got up that morning, I think it was on a Tuesday of January, and decided I was going to get some money out of the bank illegally," said Dougherty.

According to an arrest, report Dougherty was on a fixed income and gambled away his money on horses and Texas hold-em, a variation of poker. Dougherty had been going to Jai-Alai playing Texas hold-em. He had been down on his luck and in debt about $3,000.

WPBF 25 News reporter Angela Rozier talked to the now-convicted bank robber in prison and asked him why he did it.

Dougherty replied, " I was broke!"

He said five years ago, his life started going downhill. He lost all of his savings, couldn't pay bills and was living off Social Security.

"My out go for the most part Angela was more than what my income was, so it was a negative situation. I didn't have money to buy groceries," said Dougherty. "It was a dumb, dumb. I wouldn't recommend anybody, regardless of the situation, to do what I did. If I had to do it all over again, I certainly wouldn't have done it."

Dougherty said he had nothing and nowhere to go.

In 2000, the 75-year-old retired water treatment industry employee moved from Minnesota to a Treasure Coast retirement community in Fort Pierce.

Neighbor Martha Pease has been friends with Dougherty for seven years.

"It's hard to believe that he was that down and out," said Pease.

She described the father of three as kind and compassionate.

"I think he just wanted to make a statement. He was down and out. There's a lot of people down and out, and for some ungodly reason he choose to go the the bank and rob it," said Pease.

WPBF asked Dougherty why didn't he reach out to family for help, and he admitted he was too proud.

"I never been one to ask for anything. Shame on me, but that's the way I'm built," said Dougherty.

WPBF found a place where he could have gone for some assistance.

211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast Helpline community relations director Patrice Schroeder said her team can offer help to seniors in all kinds of situations.

"We hear stories like this all the time. We have seen seniors that are living on fixed incomes and often it's that tough decision: Do I feed myself, do I get medication, do I feed my pets?" said Schroeder.

She admits no one needs to grab a gun and rob a bank, but they can pick up the phone and call the 211 hot line.

"We know there are a lot of stress elders out in our community that may not know where to turn and picking up the phone and dialing 211 is a good starting place," said Schroeder.

Dougherty said his family is very disappointed in him. He said he hasn't had a traffic ticket in 40 years. He also says the gun wasn't loaded, but he understands that didn't matter.

He has eight years left of a 10-year sentence with a 2024 scheduled release date.

He said if he's alive then, the first thing he's going to do when he gets out is return to the bank and apologize to the teller.