Collar Key In Deliveryman Death (Erie pizza delivery bank robbery bomber)

CBS/AP ^ | 9-2-2003 | no byline

[weegee]

(CBS/AP) The FBI on Tuesday released photos of a metal collar found around the neck of a pizza deliveryman who robbed a bank and then was killed when a bomb strapped to his body exploded.

FBI Agent Bob Rudge said the bureau hopes that by releasing the photos of the collar and locking device, someone may come forward to help law enforcement solve the strange case.

A preliminary exam performed on the collar showed that it was likely not commercially manufactured, Rudge said Tuesday.

"We do not believe it has any legitimate industrial use," said Rudge. "Its most likely purpose was specifically for attaching the device to the neck of the individual that went into the PNC Bank.

Arrested Thursday after a bank robbery, Brian Douglas Wells told authorities someone had forced him to rob the bank. He told officers a bomb was attached to him, but he died when it exploded before the bomb squad could get there.

At a news conference Tuesday, Rudge showed photographs of the triple-banded metal collar he said was around Wells' neck and a lock that kept it in place. The bomb was attached to the collar, authorities said.

Police had surrounded Wells, 46, a short time after he robbed a PNC Bank branch outside Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. Wells had gone to deliver a pizza to a mysterious address in a remote area about an hour before he turned up at the bank with the bomb strapped to his body.

When police stopped Wells, he told them about the bomb and asked why authorities weren't helping to get it off him. Police backed off and were waiting for the bomb squad when the bomb exploded. No one else was injured.

According to police and the FBI, Wells produced an "extensive" robbery note at the bank, which has been sent to handwriting experts. Rudge did not release any additional information about the note Tuesday.

I think there is a possibility of up to 80 percent that this individual is innocent," Professor Robert Heibel, a retired FBI agent, told CBS News Correspondent Mika Brzezinski.

Heibel said Wells likely was set up, a tactic more common to drug runners or terrorists than bank robbers.

"He was being threatened that if he didn't rob the bank, once they hung that device around his neck let's say, then he becomes their patsy," Heibel said. "There are a number of ways they could have convinced him that it is a live device and from there on he is really at their mercy."

Meanwhile, officials released information from an autopsy on one of Wells' co-workers, Robert Pinetti, 43, who was found dead Sunday at his home in nearby Lawrence Park Township. Authorities do not know if his death is connected with Wells' case.

Pinetti had a history of substance abuse and preliminary testing appeared to show methadone and "valium-type" drugs in his system, authorities said. There was no trauma, officials said.

[Travis McGee]

They could make 100, and put them on 100 school children, in a place where every camera in America would be focused in an hour. Say to the White House fence.

[ntnychik]

The only thing near Erie is...Erie. Erie is, however, not rural, small, or backward. Its very prosperity has led to traffic gridlock on most of the five mile stretch of Peach Street between downtown and the bank location. The bomb squad can't make it to the scene and the perp can't make it from the bank to the city PD within 20 min.

We have to also assume that nobody involved had ever dreamt of any scenario like this. Only in retrospect (how convenient) can we imagine calling for the hospital helicopter to airlift a ticking bomb to a welder or to the bomb squad. There would have to be conversation and consulation to decide what to do.

I think the police were wise to believe there was a live explosive, turn the matter over to the admittedly distant bomb squad, and protect whatever life they could. It's good the FBI was immediately involved.

Since there's a first time for everything, I imagine law enforcement all over the country will start thinking about what they'd do in a situation like this, but I'd be surprised if there's a chapter in any manual called "What to do if perpetrator says he's innocent and please get the collar bomb off me, now, without timely access to the bomb squad."

[Travis McGee]

I would like to know ASAP the precise type of explosive and the firing device used.

The FBI and ATF have some very bright folks on this case, you can bet. As much as I put down the feds in general, I know some fairly brilliant folks in their explosives divn's.

[Travis McGee]

I would bet you that I could have gotten a plasm cutter to that scene and operational in ten minutes, max. Walking. Every welding company, welding supply store, and many construction sites have them, ready to go.

But I agree, the first time is likely to catch everyone flatfooted. I only mention it for future ref. If it happened again, I want someone in the crowd to say "GET A PLASMA CUTTER!!!!"

[FITZ]

I did a extended search on 'bomb collar' earlier and found a story about Colombian rebels putting soemthing like this on some Venezuelans neck. Took hours for a bomb squad to get it off. Only mention I saw.

In May 2000, extortionists placed a bomb around a woman's neck and said they would detonate it within a few hours if she failed to pay them $7,500. The circular tube containing the explosives went off as bomb technicians tried to deactivate it, killing the woman, a technician and three soldiers.

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/specials/0008/colombia.issues/crime.html

[Travis McGee]

I guess because I've been in that business, I tend to notice welding supply stores. They're pretty common, every welder needs oxygen and acetylene tanks, masks, welding rods etc all the time. And they really hope to sell you a new machine when you come in. They are all set up to demonstrate how cool they are. They would give a cop or rescuer one in a heartbeat for an emergency. Hell, they would go with it and run it.

[FITZ]

If Wells' friend and erstwhile co-worker was found dead of a drug-overdose, could this have been drug-related?

I would bet anything it's drug related --- at least drug cartel related. Those guys want money --- they don't care how they get it --- selling and importing drugs gets them money but so do other things.

[FITZ]

The more people learn not to deal with terrorists, the less likely terrorists will be able to take advantage of us

Look how the drug cartels are connected with extortion and kidnappings in Mexico and Colombia ---- recently here, they kidnapped a 5 year old boy, threatened to kill him if the family called the police and didn't come up with some sum of money --- the boy was killed. The drug cartels have insiders in the police force --- at least in those countries -- so they know every move that gets made.

[FITZ]

When I first read about this pizza man, I thought about Colombia and Mexican style extortion but now knowing there is a definite connection with drug dealers because of substance abuse, I'd bet it's about drug cartels.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I would have to argue with you that ERie is not backward. From my experience here.... it is anything but cutting edge and full of crative problem solvers. I am not trying to be a armchair QB, but in my experience this place ( Erie) is full of slow minded people.

[Vigilantcitizen]

"I would like to know ASAP the precise type of explosive and the firing device used."

There is no doubt in my mind that whoever did this is a trained pro...

1. Keyed mechanical timing device, impervious to any remote electropulse disarming. This points to knowledge of such disarming devices, not something most of the public is aware of.

2. In viewing the video, the explosion to me had the sound of plastic not powder and there was a lack of smoke common with powder.

3. To take and rap explosives around someone's neck, detonate it, and their head still be attached is quite a feat. This guy knew exactly how much explosive to use to gain the desired effect. This points to plastic also, which can be much more precisely metered and it points to someone with that knowledge.

4. This is not the plan of someone wanting to rob a bank, it's the plan of someone wanting to either test or "Try thinking about this while I do something else" bait and switch.

While this guy could have possibly partnered with someone else in an elaborate hairbrained scheme to rob a bank or this could be suicide by cop, the amount of planning involved and knowledge, skill displayed is worrying me.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

You think it is worrisome to you... that was my bank.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Your Plasma cutter idea would be good in theory. I've used them and they slice through steel like butter.

But if you look real close at the device, the wires are intertwined throughout the handcuff part of the device, sandwiched right inbetween the two layers of metal to be cut.

Using a plasma that close to those wires would be risky. If the steel had any dirt or contamination on it, hot slag would develop and one drop of hot slag hits the wrong wire...

Doable, but very, very high pucker factor.

[Bigg Red]

Your explanation sounds very plausible, but is it possible this guy was just into a dealer for a lot of money, and the dealer told him to get the money or else?

On the other hand, there's the lengthy stick-up note that has been mentioned.

[Vigilantcitizen]

"You think it is worrisome to you... that was my bank."

I don't think I'd be delivering any pizzas.

[TigersEye]

3. To take and rap explosives around someone's neck, detonate it, and their head still be attached is quite a feat.

On other threads (which I can't find anywhere now) it was said that the bomb was on his chest. The collar was attached to it to prevent its removal. In one video there is a big splat on a police cruiser door. I hate to be so graphic but it looks to me like his chest was blown through his back and hit the cop car.