Judge Orders Sewickley Teen to Stand Trial in North Side Bank Robbery

A Sewickley teenager accused of in December will stand trial on all charges.

Magisterial District Judge Derwin Rushing ordered all charges against Jacob Smith, 17, of Elizabeth Street, held for court during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Pittsburgh Municipal Court.  

Smith is charged with two counts of felony robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery in the robbery Dec. 29 at the Fifth Third Bank branch on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

Bank manager Aaron Aldrich testified Wednesday that he was sitting at his desk about 1:40 p.m. that day when he heard the bank door alarm go off and someone saying, “put all the money in the bag.”

Teller Sally Julian testified that a man walked into the bank wearing a black scarf. She testified that she was about to ask the man to remove the scarf when he pulled it down, partially covering his face, dropped a black bag on the counter and demanded money.

Aldrich testified that he stood up from his desk and saw a man holding a black bag and a sawed-off shotgun. He said he made eye contact with the man before sitting back down and pushing the emergency alarm.

Aldrich and Julian, in their testimony, both identified Smith as that man. The two were the only employees in the bank and there were no customers at that time, Aldrich said.

Under questioning from Smith’s attorney, Steven Townsend of Pittsburgh, Aldrich said he wasn’t sure if Smith pointed the gun at Julian. He said he saw the gun on the counter facing her.

Julian testified that she continued looking down so as not to make eye contact with the robber while she opened her cash drawer with keys to put money in the bag. At one point, she said she heard a “clank” on the counter, but she said she didn’t look because she wanted to stay calm and didn't want to see a gun.

She testified that she eventually did see the gun when she looked up to hand the bag to Smith.

Townsend asked if the gun was pointed at her. Julian said it may have been while it was on the counter.

When he had the money from her drawer, Smith leaned forward and asked where the vault was, Julian said.

Aldrich testified that he opened a door to usher Smith behind the teller line because Smith wanted to get inside the vault, but he said he also told Smith the vault was locked and the employee with the key wasn’t there.

The three stood there until Julian told Smith, “I don’t have anymore money,” she said.

“That’s when he left,” she said.

Aldrich said Smith left the gun on the counter.

Julian testified that she saw on a television monitor another man outside with Smith, but she said the second man never entered the bank.

Pittsburgh Police Robbery Detective Lisa Duncan testified that she reviewed surveillance video and also saw on the video another man standing outside the bank doors, talking on a cell phone and acting as a lookout.

That man has not been identified, she said.

When Smith left the bank, he and the other man walked across the street together, Julian said. Detectives later found the bag of money along with an exploded dye pack, according to reports.

Townsend asked to seek bail for Smith, but Judge Rushing said he didn’t feel it was appropriate considering the circumstances of the case. Smith remains in the Allegheny County Jail on $50,000 straight bond pending his trial in Common Pleas Court.