FBI eyes 'North Hills bandits' who may have police, military training
Two bank robbers responsible for a string of North Hills heists beginning in January could be former police officers or veterans, the FBI said Wednesday.
“We are seeing escalating violence. We want this to stop,” said Patrick F. Fallon Jr., assistant special agent in charge of the FBI in Pittsburgh, in asking for the public's help in finding the pair.
Based on their behavior and handling of weapons, Fallon said, the two “North Hills bandits” likely have either military or police training.
“They could be former military or law enforcement,” he said. “These are takeover robberies.”
One of the suspects wears a holster for his weapon, which Fallon said is unusual.
“That is completely off the grid, as far as street thugs go,” he said.
The men have made increasingly violent remarks at each robbery — including threats to kidnap bank employees and statements that they have automatic weapons in a car that they would use in a police pursuit.
The robbers have forced some bank employees to get on the floor as they emptied the banks of cash.
FBI agents think the two men are from the Pittsburgh area, based on their accents. They are white, 30 to 35 and in good physical shape, said Mike Brokos, an FBI special agent who handles bank robberies.
Brokos said he doubts the robberies are motivated by drugs.
“They are very organized. There's nothing clumsy about these guys. They have left with a significant amount of money,” Brokos said.
The two men wore sweat clothes and ski masks during each robbery. Fallon said they might have worn other clothes underneath.
The most recent robbery was Friday morning at a First Niagara Bank on Babcock Boulevard in Ross.
On Feb. 21, the two robbed a Huntington Bank on McKnight Road in McCandless. The first robbery was Jan. 24 at a Citizens Bank on Route 8 in Hampton.
The two left each scene in a late-model Toyota Corolla.
Rick Wills is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7944 or rwills@tribweb.com.
