Hearing set for bank robbery suspect

The man accused of robbing First National Bank of Greencastle a year ago is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Franklin County Court Oct. 2.

Robert Franklin Reed III, 28, is currently incarcerated at State Correctional Institution Fayette in LaBelle. According to court documents, he is charged with robbery, theft by unlawful taking or disposition, receiving stolen property and terroristic threats for an incident that occurred July 28, 2006.

An officer of the Greencastle Police Department responded to a call at 2:09 p.m. that day about a robbery at First National Bank of Greencastle, 40 Center Square. The suspect was described as 5-3 to 5-6, weighing 120 pounds, in his late 20's. He was wearing a black hat, black sunglasses and a long black trench coat.

The suspect allegedly gave a teller a note reading, "This is a robbery. Do not panic or press any alarms, or everyone will (expletive) die. Place all large bills up top and underneath in the bag. No dye packs or you will die. You have 30 seconds starting now (expletive)."

According to the police report, the teller gave him $1200 in cash. He fled in what was described as an older blue Pontiac with a Maryland registration, and headed north.

Subsequent investigations revealed that Hagerstown Police received a report of a stolen vehicle July 28 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The woman said it was a 1985 blue Buick Regal with Maryland plates. The owner told police that Robert Reed and another man were in her apartment at the time and had access to her keys, which were missing. She received a phone call at 6:28 that evening from a male, telling her the vehicle was in a parking lot near McDonald's in Mercersburg. She believed the caller was Reed, she told police.

Later the woman identified Reed through photographs from evidence tapes at the bank as well as from the FBI. She also identified the vehicle, and the license plate was one digit different than that given to Greencastle Police by witnesses. She stated she had a notebook in the car, which matched the paper used by the suspect in the bank.