Pittsburgh man accused in North Huntingdon bank robbery

A Pittsburgh man declined to take $182 from a North Huntingdon bank police said he tried to rob and instead fled in a stolen BMW, according to court papers.

The owner of the car, along with fingerprints found at the PNC Bank on Norwin Avenue, helped investigators identify Bruce M. Charles Jr., 36, as the suspect. He is awaiting a preliminary hearing later this month on charges of robbery, theft and terroristic threats in connection with the Aug. 10 incident.

The robbery was reported at 5:15 p.m. A female teller told investigators the suspect slid a note to her demanding cash and claiming he was armed. When she gave him $182 in mutilated money that was set to be destroyed, he refused it, instead requesting $100 and $20 bills, according to court papers.

The teller began to put together rolled coins for him instead, but the suspect fled in the BMW without any cash, police said.

Authorities got fingerprints from an interior glass door the suspect touched that later were identified as belonging to Charles. Six days later, the owner of the BMW called police and said Charles took the car without his permission the same day as the robbery was reported.

Charles was arrested last week and has been held at the Westmoreland County Prison without bail. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A Nov. 30 preliminary hearing is set.