Posted on 09/17/2005 8:21:39 PM PDT by Pharmboy
ERIE, Pa. (AP) - Recently released images of a pizza deliveryman who robbed a bank, then was killed by a bomb fastened around his neck, suggest he was unaware of any threat to his life, according to the FBI. Two years after the death of Brian Wells, authorities have made no arrests and are unable to say whether he was a willing participant or victim.
The bank surveillance photographs show Wells, 46, of Erie, sucking on a lollipop in the PNC Bank at Summit Towne Centre on Aug. 28, 2003, the day of the robbery.
Wells' demeanor inside the bank "depicts a man who did not know he would soon die as a result of an explosive device strapped to his body," the FBI in Erie said in a statement released with the images.
The release coincided with Saturday's broadcast of Fox's "America's Most Wanted" episode on the case. The FBI is also hoping that anyone with information about the case will come forward.
Wells arrived at the bank about 40 minutes before he robbed it and then, appearing calm, left with an undisclosed amount of cash in a plastic grocery bag. The bomb was under his T-shirt and he also carried a cane-shaped firearm, but used it only as a cane.
State police stopped Wells moments after the robbery. When the device exploded, he was sitting handcuffed in a parking lot surrounded by police, who kept their distance while waiting for a bomb squad to arrive. Wells told the officers that somebody locked the bomb onto him.
In the statement, the FBI described Wells as "a quiet, somewhat shy and reserved man" who "lived alone, with his cats, and enjoyed an uncomplicated life."
"Brian was a human being who died because he may have trusted people he should not have trusted, and he possibly misjudged the purpose for his being at the bank that day," the statement said.
Really, REALLY bizarre!!!
I remember when this happened and I don't remember that he was calm about it. I saw the video of the guy sitting on the ground up until the instant the bomb went off and they cut the clip. It was horrifying. I think that they knew that the bomb squad would not make it to the scene before the time limit the guy was given was up. I hope there's a very hot spot in Hell for the guys who did this.
You are right--I remember that he was nervous and distraught toward the end, but evidently these tapes show him calm during the robbery. Hard to make sense of this. It sounds like a B-movie plot starring Keanu Reeves.
He knew what was going to happen - the videos showed him BEGGING the police and FBI for help while they aimed their guns at him ordering him to stay far away from them and not move - then they sat back and watched his head blow off.
Yes...I certainly remember those reports. But how does that square with this latest information? I cannot seem to add it up.
Didn't the FBI find it unusual that someone who had never robbed a bank before was so calm while robbing his first?
Maybe the guy thought it was another (scavenger hunt) game sponsored by a tv station at first-- like the ones he participated in before-- hence his casual attitude sucking on a lollipop robbing a bank.
Too many questions...
This one described his demeanor INSIDE the bank - at that point, he still had hope that he would be saved by the police - that changed very soon afterwards when he realized they were NOT going to help him.
They profiled this on America's Most Wanted tonight.
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=27382
also be sure and check the evidence gallery:
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/evidence_clues.cfm?id=27382
I can't figure out if he had the bomb on him, why would he go to the bank? Why not just go to a police station and ask for help? that is the part that doesn't make sense to me. someone puts a bomb on you against your will and tells you to rob a bank..against your will. And you go ahead and drive over there> And don't ask for help, even in the bank?
Not until you are out and surrounded by police, do you get scaired?
He was supposed to have robbed the bank within a certain time limit and then was supposed to go back and get the bomb off. Problem was the instructions given to him by the perpetrators took longer than the allotted time. He got caught or turned himself in and the bomb squad was on it's way. Even if he had folloed the instructions, he was a dead man. Poor, poor guy. What an awful way to go.
I also saw that video........ Sad it was.
I think they knew who he was and when he worked and he would be the perfect victim for this. Seems maybe he was a bit of a simpleton (or something else) and would have let them manipulate him. There is a reason why they showed the segment of him knowing the answer to the scavenger hunt question one time but not having the courage or ambition to get out of the car and claim it.
Ok, I am still not buying this story,
I have a bomb put on me and I BELIEVE these people?!! I trust these people more than I would just going to the police? And I am going to go back to them to let THEM remove the bomb? Just think about it.
I am going to check out the links you posted. Thanks. In the mean time, I agree that this poor guy was a chosen target for the sickos.
They threatened to blow him up if he tried to contact the police, and that he was being monitored.
I didn't know about that web site - thanks
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