BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Authorities believe Marcus Schaefer put a gun in his belt at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 22, cleaned out teller drawers at United Bank in Magnolia Springs, then left to rendezvous with Jerald D. Godwin, driver of a getaway vehicle.

The heist began a four-month, four-bank robbery spree among a group of heavily armed, body-armor-protected Baldwin County men who were prepared to overwhelm any lawman intervention with firepower, according to Baldwin County Sheriff Huey “Hoss” Mack.

“This is one of the most dangerous situations that the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and Baldwin County law enforcement has faced in several years,” Mack said Thursday. “There’s no doubt they would use the weapons and no doubt they would continue.”

Arrested were:

• Lloyd Marcus Schaefer, 46, Elberta, arrested Dec. 12 and charged with two counts of first-degree robbery.

• Jerald Dean Godwin, 46, Marlow, arrested Dec. 17 and charged with two counts of first-degree robbery.

• Gregory William Baber, 27, Fairhope, arrested Dec. 15 and charged with two counts of first-degree robbery.

• Sidney Eugene Clark, 34, Elberta, arrested Dec. 18 and charged with first-degree robbery.

Mack said group members knew each other and not all suspects participated in every robbery. But a common “consensus” was that withering firepower would be used in any confrontation with the law.

“They had enough ammunition to maintain a sustained, lengthy fight,” Mack said. “They expected to confront officers and they had armed lookouts.”

Godwin, arrested Wednesday at his Marlow Community residence, became combative during the interview and had to be restrained, Mack said.

“He threatened the officers and their families,” Mack said. “You threaten one of us, you threaten us all.”

Schaefer, the first to be arrested, came to the door with a gun in his hand.

“It was fortunate he dropped it at the right time,” Mack said.

Investigators continue to track down leads. Weapons and other evidence are being confiscated in the ongoing investigation and additional charges and arrests are pending, based on the multi-jurisdictional investigative effort.

Suspects in the third robbery introduced assault rifles and body armor. Investigators found U.S. Army identification on some of the confiscated items, indicating they had been stolen. Other weapons have been traced to gun dealers.

Mack said the four robberies amounted to “a substantial” amount of money, and not all of the money has been accounted. He said some of the money was used to acquire weapons, body armor and to purchase a getaway car for the Colonial Back robbery in Lillian.

District Attorney Judy Newcomb will present the evidence to the Baldwin County grand jury.

Synopsis of heists:

Here is a synopsis of the four bank robberies, according to evidence supplied by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.

• United Bank, Magnolia Springs, Aug. 22.

Marcus Schaefer walks inside, shows a gun in his belt and orders everyone to the floor. Tellers empty drawers and J.D. Godwin mans the getaway car.

Godwin and Clark head to Honduras, motives unknown, but return for the Aug. 29 Lillian robbery.

• United Bank, Lillian, Aug. 29.

Greg Baber and Sidney Clark don masks and gloves and enter the bank brandishing pistols. Everyone is ordered to the floor and teller and vault money is taken. A customer’s car keys and vehicle are taken and the vehicle is recovered nearby. J.D. Godwin drives the getaway car.

• Colonial Bank, Lillian, Dec. 2.

Schaefer and Baber enter bank in masks, gloves and coveralls. Each wears body armor and carries assault rifles. Tellers are told to empty drawers. The duo flees in a brown, rusty car later found nearby.

• BankcorpSouth, Burkville, Nov. 21.

Clark and Godwin enter bank in masks, gloves, body armor and carry assault rifles. The two steal a customer’s vehicle. Schaefer drives the getaway vehicle.