Updated with information from the Pittsfield Police Department: On Wednesday, Nov. 30, at approximately 09:21 a.m., Pittsfield Police Officers were dispatched to Berkshire Bank at 66 West Street for a hold up alarm.
Information from dispatch was that a robbery was in progress. According to witnesses at the scene, the suspect was described as a white man wearing a brown hat, black jacket, jeans, mask and sunglasses.
According to police, the suspect had passed a handwritten note demanding money. The suspect fled the scene and headed toward the McKay Street parking deck.
No cash was taken, no injuries were reported and no weapon was displayed.
Video surveillance in the area is being reviewed and aiding in the investigation. Evidence was collected in the vicinity of the bank and surrounding areas.
The investigation is being conducted by the Pittsfield Police Detective Bureau, Digital Evidence Unit, Drug Unit, K9 Unit, Anti-Crime Unit and uniformed patrol.
This remains an active investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Police Department Detective Bureau (413-448-9705), call the Tip line (413-448- 9706), or send us a tip via text message by texting “PITTIP” and your message to 847411 (TIP411)
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Original Post: Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 10:37 am.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Bank's West Street location is locked down while police investigate a morning robbery via note pass.
Police vehicles have lined the surrounding area, and the bank's McKay Street entrance is secured with caution tape.
Police Capt. Thomas Dawley said the call came in around 9:20 a.m. while the robbery was in progress. He reported that the person fled the scene. According to police, the robber left a note at the bank demanding money. The amount of money taken is unknown, and there were no injuries.
"That's all we have right now, we're following up on some leads," Dawley said around 10 a.m.
At this time, the department's K9 unit was sniffing out the perimeter, and the McKay Street parking garage.
"We found some evidence. We don't know if it's related or not but we have the dog doing ... it's called an article search. So the dog is doing an article search right now in this parking deck and wherever it takes them," Dawley reported.
"We're also checking video right now from Berkshire Bank. Like I said, no one was injured, no threats, and we're just going to follow what we can. It's developing right now."
It is believed that only this Berkshire Bank location is closed due to the robbery. McKay Street remains open to through traffic. There are six Berkshire Bank branches in Pittsfield.
This is the second bank robbery in the city this year. The Greylock Federal Credit Union on Kellog Street was robbed Aug. 8 and a suspect arrested 10 days later. The Berkshire Bank branch on Elm Street was robbed in September 2018 and the suspect apprehended within two hours. Both were cases of unarmed robbery in which a note was passed to a teller demanding money.
In May, four people were arrested after an alleged fraudulent transaction at the Berkshire Bank in Great Barrington and charged with unarmed robbery.
