Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Collar Key In Deliveryman Death (Erie pizza delivery bank robbery bomber)
CBS/AP ^ | 9-2-2003 | no byline

Posted on 09/02/2003 11:44:52 AM PDT by 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.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: bankrobber; bankrobbery; bombsquad; brianwells; brianwellsdeath; conspiracy; crime; domesticbombing; erie; fbi; homicide; hostage; kidnapping; pennsylvania; pizzabomber; pizzabombing; pizzadeliveryman
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 201-220221-240241-260261-264 next last
To: mtbopfuyn
The possible gun found on Wells isn't surprising.

I saw the detective on GMA this morning and he stated that he had a very unusual weapon on his person. When asked if it was a gun he stated is was kinda like a gun.

This just gets stranger by the minute.

221 posted on 09/03/2003 8:02:46 AM PDT by CodeJockey
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 212 | View Replies]

To: Aussie Cattledog
Of course he was part of it. He had the collar on. Maybe he put it (the collar) on himself, and took his custom gun too.

Or, somebody else (made, and) put the collar on him, and gave him a custom gun in case the bank wasn't impressed with the collar.

My point -- the fact that he had it does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that he willingly had it.

222 posted on 09/03/2003 8:04:26 AM PDT by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 216 | View Replies]

To: viligantcitizen
Some people were mentioning cutting off the collar with a plasma torch. I tried to explain that would work on the collar but not on the wiring; if the wires could be safely cut, the bomb could be safely disarmed.

Have to wonder if all 4 locks were locked. Did the authorities pick all of the locks? Did they find the key? Did they cut his head off?

Little detail as to how the collar was eventually removed.

It is dangerous to approach a body that is dead because of a known collar-bomb. What if there had been a second device with a delayed timer?

223 posted on 09/03/2003 8:05:01 AM PDT by weegee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 215 | View Replies]

To: weegee
No picture...No family coming forth...No friends

They're being a little too secretive for my peace of mind.

Show us the note, the gun, his picture!!!!!! And tell us how long this guy has been in this area.

224 posted on 09/03/2003 8:05:30 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (God Bless Our Troops!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 219 | View Replies]

To: Cboldt
A toy gun is like a gun. A soap carved gun is like a gun. Did he have a zip gun made from antenna parts?

Why do the police play 20 questions? Why not show a picture of the gun if they are going to talk about a second "unique" weapon?

225 posted on 09/03/2003 8:07:31 AM PDT by weegee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 222 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau
"That's what the dead dude said but I haven't heard where they have confirmed that."

While is hasn't been confirmed, and I very well could be wrong, the perp says "This thing is ticking...".

This device was built as fool proof as possible. It had 4 locks. Whoever built it knows there are devices out there than can disable digital timers remotely. While I doubt the Erie bomb squad has one of those devices, there are departments that do.

226 posted on 09/03/2003 8:11:00 AM PDT by Vigilantcitizen (Herman Cain for Senator.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 217 | View Replies]

To: weegee
What is the name of the guy who ran the Pizza joint? I haven't seen it. Wondering if he has one of those names that might make us perk up a bit!!
227 posted on 09/03/2003 8:12:25 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (God Bless Our Troops!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 225 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau
This article (linked in post 193) has some family info:

http://www.sanmateocountytimes.com/Stories/0,1413,87~11268~1607723,00.html

Rudge said investigators have questioned numerous co-workers and friends of the dead man. They have also interviewed family members, among them a sister who retrieved Wells' possessions on Thursday and a brother who Sadowski said once worked in the construction trade in Erie.

228 posted on 09/03/2003 8:13:12 AM PDT by weegee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 224 | View Replies]

To: Aussie Cattledog
Thanks for the photo info!
229 posted on 09/03/2003 8:15:13 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (God Bless Our Troops!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 218 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau
What is the name of the guy who ran the Pizza joint? I haven't seen it. Wondering if he has one of those names that might make us perk up a bit!!

Like Tony Ditomo?

Mama Mia's owner, Tony Ditomo, said he could not talk about his friend

(Same article from 193)

230 posted on 09/03/2003 8:15:27 AM PDT by weegee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 227 | View Replies]

To: weegee
I figure there are at least 20 reasons to play 20 questions.

Speculation is fun. Impatience for "the answer" is natural (I think).

Maybe the media promised this guy that his family would be rich, in exchange for a captivating story (I doubt it, but you can see how far speculation can go, if one considers news-story to be a motive).

I think he was a victim, not a perp. Based mostly on 1) my prejudice relating to the intelligence of pizza delivery people (good heart, weak mind) and 2) his demeanor.

231 posted on 09/03/2003 8:16:14 AM PDT by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 225 | View Replies]

To: weegee
Some people were mentioning cutting off the collar with a plasma torch. I tried to explain that would work on the collar but not on the wiring; if the wires could be safely cut, the bomb could be safely disarmed.

I am no expert by any means, but could the wires be tapped into and a bypass loop configured so that when the device and wires were cut the circut would remain intact?

232 posted on 09/03/2003 8:18:18 AM PDT by CodeJockey (What's this for?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 223 | View Replies]

To: Aussie Cattledog
Ok, so Venezuelan drug dealers have used this method before, what do you think of this scenario. The guy owed a ton of money to the drug cartel and they put the collar on his neck and told him to get the money or he would die, as time ran out, he robs the bank, but they don't remove the collar from his neck?
233 posted on 09/03/2003 8:22:46 AM PDT by Eva
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Cboldt
I'm not slagging the talkback on FR, I'm saying that details are being withheld and it is like pulling teeth to get the authorities to reveal more details.

Is there information that would jeopardize the case? Is there information of importance to national security?

If the bank robber had not been apprehended, the footage would have been released already ("help us catch him").

Even the Tampa teen and John Lihnd Walker had non-crime photos released (there is always a yearbook photo and driver's license even if the family doesn't want to share)

234 posted on 09/03/2003 8:27:37 AM PDT by weegee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 231 | View Replies]

To: CodeJockey
Possibly. Some things to consider though are the introduction of a spark, resistance and voltage drop through the wire.

We all know about the bomb in the movies that will explode if the wires are cut but we are dealing real world. If the battery is severed from the detonator, what are the odds of the bomb exploding? How many bombs are really "tamper resistant"?

235 posted on 09/03/2003 8:31:20 AM PDT by weegee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 232 | View Replies]

To: weegee
I'm saying that details are being withheld and it is like pulling teeth to get the authorities to reveal more details. Normal behavior on the part of public officials when their performance is in the limelight.

It's as much protection of ego as it is protection of the case. (I do the same thing in private life).

The goal of the media is to maximize revenue. Sometimes being stingy with details facilitates that objective.

236 posted on 09/03/2003 8:42:28 AM PDT by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 234 | View Replies]

To: viligantcitizen; mo
I agree with mo, except for the part about it all fizzling away. I don't think so; the case is too unique.

As for your statement that the mob is more discreet, I think that's a good assessment. You mention that a lot of mob hits hang themselves. Well, what about the associate of this pizza deliveryman? He died a day or two after the bomb incident. Cause unknown, but there was methadone in his system. Aw, too bad, another life wasted by drug use... sound familiar?

It seems that in all the serious crime cases discussed on FR--whether murder or not--someone always pops up and says, "Drugs! Drugs are behind this!" Often, I don't agree. But this time, I really do think it is drugs.

And you can count out drugs if you want, but I still think the victim owed money to someone. It makes some sense: they tell him to rob the bank, so they'll get the money he owed, which he had probably told them he just didn't have. Then they proceed to kill him anyway, so he won't tell anyone anything about the bank robbery. They knew he'd probably be caught and prosecuted for the bank robbery, and at that point he'd tell all he knew about the people he'd owed money to.

While the mob is usually discreet, sometimes they want to get the word out to others they do business with, and make an example of someone. Plus, there is more than one "mob"--that is, there are different criminal organizations in various places. This may just be one of the less careful ones.

To return to the comment that this will all fizzle out, I think the public will want it solved, but I must admit it may fizzle out for real--not b/c the police might be hiding something, but b/c the people who did this might be really good at hiding and stonewalling leads. (Not discounting the possibility that some police there might indeed be part of the criminal organization.)
237 posted on 09/03/2003 9:06:09 AM PDT by Devil_Anse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 156 | View Replies]

To: Devil_Anse
You may be right, but speculating is half the fun. :)

If this is a "drug hit", somebody went to a whole lot of trouble.

On the other hand, there is another thread discussing the "gun" Wells was found with. On that thread, there's an article with an FBI agent saying he had only seen these type of explosives in one other country...Columbia.

238 posted on 09/03/2003 9:19:45 AM PDT by Vigilantcitizen (Herman Cain for Senator.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 237 | View Replies]

To: viligantcitizen
...an FBI agent saying he had only seen this type of explosives in one other country... Colombia....

WHOA!!!

Hey, where's that poster who knew that "bomba" was Spanish for fireman? Don't they speak Spanish in Colombia??

239 posted on 09/03/2003 9:23:23 AM PDT by Devil_Anse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 238 | View Replies]

To: Devil_Anse
Be right back with article....
240 posted on 09/03/2003 9:24:44 AM PDT by Vigilantcitizen (Herman Cain for Senator.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 239 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 201-220221-240241-260261-264 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson