Friday, May 18, 2012
YOUNGSTOWN
A Mahoning County grand jury has handed up indictments against a city man believed to be responsible for the robbery of a West Side bank and a convenience store.
John Knapp Byrns, 48, of Midlothian Boulevard has been indicted on five counts of aggravated robbery and five counts of robbery, all with firearm specifications.
Byrns was taken into custody April 26 at his home in the 1900 block of Midlothian Boulevard on robbery warrants. He is suspected of committing the bank robbery at PNC Bank on Meridian Road on April 25. He also is suspected of attempting to rob the Italian Specialties Store, Canfield Road, on March 25.
In the PNC Bank robbery, police said Byrns walked into the bank at 151 S. Meridian about 11 a.m. and handed the teller a tan envelope with a note on it demanding cash.
The teller realized she was being robbed and attempted to press an alarm to alert police, but the thief warned her not to press the button. He was given an undisclosed amount of cash and hurried out of the bank.
At least two customers were in the bank at the time. No one was injured.
In the attempted robbery at the Italian Specialties Store at 3381 Canfield Road, a man believed to be Byrns walked into the store, placed two items on the counter, put his hand in his pocket and told the cashier to open the register or he would shoot her.
The clerk backed up and placed a metal bin in front of her, yelling to other employees “Get back. He has a gun.”
The suspect left the store without any money or the items on the counter. A woman told police she saw the man get into his car, which had no license plates.