Police arrest Turtle Creek man in connection with robbery at North Huntingdon bank

Renatta Signorini, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
Updated ·2 min read

Dec. 15—Investigators believe the man who robbed a North Huntingdon bank on Thursday is also responsible for the Nov. 17 robbery at a First National Bank branch in Hempfield, according to court papers.

North Huntingdon police arrested Steven A. Schaffner, 45, of Turtle Creek, in connection with the robbery at KeyBank. He told investigators he drove two other men to a hotel nearby and, after one of them robbed the bank, they left.

Schaffner is charged with robbery, theft, receiving stolen property and terroristic threats. Arrest warrants in connection with both robberies were issued Friday for Charles Wesley Williams Jr., 62, of North Braddock, after charges were filed by township and state police.

Authorities were called to KeyBank on Ronda Court around 10:30 a.m. An employee told authorities that a man wearing a face covering and sunglasses and appearing to have a gun passed her a note demanding money. She gave him about $2,000 and noticed that he looked similar to the suspect in the Hempfield robbery a month earlier, according to court papers. A customer and second bank employee agreed, police said.

State police released surveillance images of a suspect in the Nov. 17 Wendel Road robbery immediately after it happened.

Surveillance photographs provided to investigators by KeyBank showed Thursday's suspect walk toward a nearby hotel. Additional surveillance showed him get in a Ford Escape that police determined was registered to a second Turtle Creek man. Williams matched the description of both suspects.

Authorities found the SUV later Thursday in Braddock with Schaffner and its owner inside, according to court papers.

Schaffner told investigators he and the Ford Escape's owner picked up Williams, knowing he intended to rob a bank. They initially traveled to the Wendel Road First National Bank branch, which Schaffner said Williams previously hit, but instead headed into North Huntingdon.

No charges had been filed early Friday afternoon against the Ford Escape owner. Schaffner is not charged in the Hempfield robbery. He was denied bail and did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 27.

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta by email at rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .