Identity released of man accused of armed robbery at Armstrong County bank
A Kittanning Township man is charged with felony robbery after police said he brandished a firearm and took more than $3,000 from NexTier Bank in Manor Township before speeding away on an ATV.
Robert Mitchell Beers Jr., 57, was charged Thursday, Oct. 8, with three felony counts each of robbery and reckless endangerment, one felony count each of theft and firearm possession and three misdemeanor counts of simple assault following an incident that day.
Manor Township police said they were notified at 9:31 a.m. Thursday of an armed bank robbery at NexTier Bank at 105 Burton Drive off Route 422 East. The robber, later identified as Beers, stole $3,370, police said.
Police said Beers entered the bank with a plastic grocery bag, brandished a silver handgun and demanded money from three bank tellers. Beers was wearing a motorcycle helmet with the visor down, a blue jumpsuit and black gloves.
Beers then fled on a camouflage ATV across Route 422 and several highways, police said.
Police said the bank tellers knew it was Beers because he was a customer of the bank. Police then surrounded Beers’ Kittanning Township home where he was in the garage.
A 14-year-old boy and an additional adult family member were also at the home.
Police said Beers was arrested without incident. He later told them where the firearm and stolen money could be found in the garage. The majority of the money was hidden inside the pocket of a girl’s coat hanging in a closet.
Beers’ preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 20 before District Judge J. Gary DeComo. He’s being held in Armstrong County Prison on a $50,000 bail.
NexTier Bank released a statement on Facebook that law enforcement intervention was required in an “incident” at the branch. The branch was temporarily closed. Customers were directed to the downtown Kittanning and Ford City locations.
No bank personnel were injured. Police assisted them with crisis intervention to process the incident.
Local schools were temporarily placed on lockdown as a precaution.
Manor Township police were assisted by state police in Kittanning, the Armstrong County Detective Bureau, Armstrong County District Attorney’s Office, the Armstrong County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit, Kittanning Borough Police and the state police Special Emergency Response Team.
