Alleged Bank Robber Arraigned in Superior Court

Staff reportsiBerkshires
02:03PM / Tuesday, July 01, 2008Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD — The man accused of attempting to rob a North Adams bank was arraigned Tuesday morning in Berkshire Superior Court on a host of charges.

Robert A. Bywaters, 54, of Union Street, Schenectady, N.Y., had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of armed robbery while masked, armed assault with intent to murder and possession of an infernal machine and four counts each of armed assault with intent to rob, kidnapping and intimidation to steal from a depository.

Judge John J. Agostini ordered Bywaters continue to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $500,000 cash or $5 million surety bail. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to life imprisonment.

Bywaters allegedly took $32,000 from the Hoosac Bank on May 23 after threatening and holding hostage several tellers but barely made it out the bank's front door before police jumped him and took him into custody. Officers had to use a taser to subdue him.

Police say he threatened four bank employees with a fake gun and held them in an office shortly after entering the bank around 3 p.m. One of the workers was able to contact authorities when sent to get the cash. Other employees also apparently tripped alarms.

The robbery attempt shut down Main Street in North Adams from late afternoon until nearly midnight after the suspect dropped a package outside the bank believed to be military-grade explosives. The state police bomb squad was called to investigate and dispose of the device. Bywaters' van, left at the Big Y parking lot north of Main Street was cordoned off and searched.

Bywaters has a host of aliases, according to court documents, including Eugene Albert Hein, Robert Allen Bywater, Robert Albert Bywaters, Robert A. Harrison, Gene Hein, Bob Johnson, A. Hein Robert, Robert Alan Bywaters, Bob Bywaters, Robert Harrisson and various versions of Bywater/Bywaters.

The investigation was conducted by members of the North Adams Police Department.

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Healey, Driscoll's Campaign Stop Talks Housing, Health and ICE

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
05:48AM / Wednesday, February 18, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Gov. Maura Healey acknowledged challenges and touted successes on Tuesday to a packed room at the former Johnson School on Tuesday.

Healey, standing with running mate Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Mayor Jennifer Macksey in front of a background "Team Healey Driscoll" logos, the governor spoke to housing, health care, education, energy, infrastructure, and public safety — declaring ICE had to "stay out" to loud applause.

"You know, there's a lot of work ahead. There's a lot of challenge out there. There's a lot of work in communities here in the state and around this country," she said, recalling how she'd stood with Mayor Jennifer Macksey at a "massive sinkhole" in the days following the extreme rain in 2023.

"I'll never forget that moment. And, you know, what can we do as a government to help and that's our job, actually, in government. DC doesn't understand but our job actually is to work together to deliver for people. That means working state and local, really tight. It means also working with our community leaders, our businesses, our not-for-profits, our schools, our hospitals and health-care systems."

Healey is running for a second four-year term as governor. On Tuesday, the Democrat released a list of mayors and legislative leaders backing her, including Macksey and Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti and the entire Berkshire state delegation.

The hall at what is now called the Residences at Amity Square was filled with former and current elected officials including city councilors, School Committee members, mayors, Select Board members from neighboring communities, as well as residents and educational, cultural and business leaders.

"The governor promised four years ago that she would not forget North Adams and not forget Western Mass, and she certainly hasn't," said Macksey in endorsing the governor. "She supported us through floods, she supported us through grants, and she is a trusted, trusted colleague in Boston who knows how to get to North Adams."

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