Florida man, 71, pleads guilty to robbing Harmar, Shaler banks in 2016

An elderly Florida man accused of robbing two banks in the Pittsburgh area has pleaded guilty in federal court.

Robert Stiver, 71, of Pompano Beach pleaded guilty to two counts of armed bank robbery in front of U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Bissoon, authorities said Thursday.

Stiver has been detained since his arrest at the Pittsburgh International Airport on Dec. 22, 2016.

According to information presented to the court, Stiver walked into the Allegheny Valley Bank in Shaler on Nov. 2, 2016 wearing an orange construction vest, a duffel bag around his neck, a homemade face mask and a long wig.

He approached a teller brandishing a large revolver and announced to everyone not to try anything or he would shoot.

He demanded money from the teller and walked out of the front door with a bag containing a little more than $2,000.

Authorities said Stiver also went into the First Commonwealth Bank in Harmar on Dec. 9, 2016 wearing light color blue jeans, white shoes, and a dark hooded jacket, an orange construction vest, a homemade face mask and a long wig.

He approached the teller wielding a large revolver and carrying a duffel bag.

The teller handed over about $5,700 and he fled out of an employee entrance. Surveillance footage captured Stiver fleeing in a white Ford Focus.

Special agents of FBI-Pittsburgh’s Violent Crimes Task Force stopped and arrested Stiver at Pittsburgh International Airport while he was attempting to board a plane on Dec. 22, 2016. Armed with a search warrant, the agents recovered money stolen from the Harmar bank in Stiver’s bag.

Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for Aug. 13.

The FBI Pittsburgh’s Violent Crimes Task Force, Allegheny County Police, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department, Shaler and Harmar police conducted the investigation leading to the guilty plea in this case.