PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A city man is being charged in a Monday morning robbery at Berkshire Bank.
James Scales IV, 38, allegedly passed a note to a teller, brandished a knife, and fled the bank with some cash.
"The suspect reportedly passed a note to a teller, brandished a knife, and fled the bank with an amount of cash," according to Pittsfield Police. "The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of 38-year-old Pittsfield resident James Scales IV who is charged with armed robbery while masked."
Police say there may be additional charges when Scales is arraigned in Berkshire District Court on Tuesday, July 22.
No further information was provided on how Scales was taken into custody. The statement from police stated the patrol division, detective bureau, and crime scene services were involved in the investigation.
It also said the department "would like to commend the bank employees and civilian witnesses who remained calm during the incident. The employees and witnesses were able to provide important information that became pertinent to the investigation."
Police responded at about 9 a.m. to the report of the armed robbery 66 West St. branch. The department made a public post on the incident about an hour later on Facebook stating the suspect was in custody and there was no danger to the public.
"Because of the quick response from patrol, we have a suspect in custody, and there is no immediate threat to the public," the Facebook post reads. "We hope to have a press release later this afternoon."
By noon, a sign was placed outside the branch notifying the public that it was closed and the lights had been turned off.
"This location is closed Mon 7/21, please refer to Elm St or Allendale [bank branches]," it reads. "We apologize about the inconvenience. We open at 9 a.m. tomorrow."
Alison Skratt, head of the bank's corporate communications, confirmed no bank employees or clients were injured.
"Appropriate law enforcement and banking authorities were promptly notified and a suspect is in custody. We are working closely with law enforcement to support their investigation, which is ongoing," she wrote in an email response. "The safety of our employees, clients, and community is our top priority. The financial center will be closed for the remainder of the day as we assess the situation and support our team. We plan to reopen tomorrow."
Skratt noted that financial center deposits are protected by Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. insurance.
When iBerkshires arrived around noon, there was no crime scene tape and the branch had been cleared. A photo taken by the police around the time of the incident shows the outside staircase that leads to McKay Street taped off.
This is not the first time police have responded to the bank for this kind of activity. In 2022, officers were dispatched to the same branch for a holdup alarm after an attempted robbery, when someone had passed a handwritten note demanding money, then fled the scene. No cash was taken, no injuries were reported, and no weapon was displayed; the culprit was quickly arrested and sentenced to prison last year.
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Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires Honors Leaders, Volunteers
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
Liana Toscanini presented the Founder's Choice Award to Smitty Pignatelli for his years of support as state representative.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires held its ninth annual nonprofit awards last week honoring the contributions of those who have helped the community in their own way.
The gathering at the Country Club in Pittsfield on Tuesday included the introduction of new nonprofit Executive Director Samantha Anderson, who steps in for retiring founder and director Liana Toscanini. State Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, John Barrett III and Leigh Davis attended the event.
Toscanini, who created NPC in 2016, was honored at the conclusion of the evening to mark her decade leading the organization.
"Founders don't just lead organizations, they are the organization in the deepest sense," said NPC Board President Emily Schiavoni. "Their relationships, their instincts, their fingerprints are on everything, and when someone has poured a decade of herself into building something from the ground up, the act of stepping back is not a simple handoff, it's an act of extraordinary trust and courage that brings me to what Leanna actually built."
NPC became something of a chamber of commerce for nonprofits under Toscanini's guidance, creating a hub of support for leadership and networking for the small and large nonprofits that fuel much of the activity within the Berkshires.
She developed more than two dozen programs, including Get on Board, which helps connect community members with nonprofit boards, and a giving-back guide, volunteer fairs, and a resource directory.
Schiavoni described Toscanini as a great mentor who has had a big impact in strengthening local nonprofits.
The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires held its ninth annual nonprofit awards last week honoring the contributions of those who have helped the community in their own way. click for more
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Gracelyn Wright struck out eight, and Genevieve Lagess went 3-for-5 with four runs batted in as the Hurricanes beat Monson, 17-3, to claim their first Western Mass title in four years. click for more
For the boys, Ward Bianchi helped lead the way with a win in the shot put and a second place in the javelin as the Mounties finished 16 points ahead of runner-up Pittsfield (pending the results of the pole vault, which were unavailable at 11 p.m. Friday night). click for more
