McCandless man charged in string of W. Pa. bank robberies
A 24-year-old McCandless man suspected in a string of bank robberies in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties this month was arrested Thursday by FBI agents when he entered a PNC Bank in Unity with a robbery note, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said.
Dylan Michael Poole was charged Friday in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh with robbing three area banks and attempting to rob a fourth. He is being held in the Allegheny County Jail.
Poole was arrested upon entering the PNC Bank near Latrobe at Latrobe 30 Plaza, off Route 30, according to the criminal complaint. FBI investigators reported they confiscated a robbery demand note from Poole that said, “I have a gun this is a robbery empty the drawer no funny business no one gets hurt.”
The note Poole used Thursday was similar to ones left behind at two prior bank robberies: Nov. 9 in Donegal and Tuesday in Wexford, investigators said.
Investigators allege that on Nov. 8, Poole entered the WesBanco Bank in McCandless and handed the teller a note that read, “This is a robbery, give me all the 100s, 50s and 20s. No funny stuff and nobody will get hurt.”
Brady said Poole received approximately $2,030 from the teller and fled.
Poole received approximately $2,388 from the teller at the Donegal bank, according to court documents. Poole left the note behind, which state police confiscated at the scene.
On Tuesday, Poole entered a First National Bank in Wexford and fled with $1,028, investigators said. The note used in that heist was recovered by Allegheny County Police.
FBI investigators were able to track a vehicle leaving the Wexford robbery after the license plate was captured on video surveillance. The silver Hyundai Sonata was registered to Poole, investigators said.
On Thursday, FBI investigators set up surveillance on Poole at his home. Poole drove to the PNC Bank in Unity, parked nearby and once he entered the bank, he was arrested by FBI investigators.
Brady said police recovered some of the money taken in Tuesday’s robbery from Poole’s sedan.
Poole appeared Friday in federal court before District Judge Lisa Lenihan, who scheduled a detention hearing 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.
Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ppeirce_trib.
