SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Police Department has made a significant step forward in the investigation of the robbery at the Key Bank on 664 College Hwy., which took place in the early afternoon of Dec. 6, 2016.
According to Sgt. Det. Robert Landis, the suspect has been identified as Stephen Silva, from Springfield. It was determined by the police that Silva was unarmed and had allegedly taken an undisclosed amount of cash from the bank. Landis said that Silva walked into Key Bank and gave a note to the teller, demanding a certain amount of money. The suspect then reportedly fled the building and took off in a vehicle before Southwick Police arrived on scene.
Stephen Silva, of Springfield, has been identified as the suspect in the Key Bank robbery in December of 2016.(Photo from the Southwick Police Department)
Silva was able to be identified as a suspect of the robbery in Southwick because, just three days later, on Dec. 10, 2016, Silva was arrested in Hartland, Vermont, for a robbery at the Mascoma Savings Bank. Silva was allegedly able to get away with $1,140 from the bank, according to police.
On Dec. 13, 2016, Silva was arraigned in Windsor County Court, pleading not guilty to three felony charges that are related to the robbery in Hartland. Silva was held without right to bail during his arraignment in court.
At this time, Silva is still being held in Vermont and details are still being worked out before he can be arraigned in Massachusetts for his involvement in the Southwick bank robbery.
After the robbery happened in Southwick, Landis was contacted by different police departments throughout New England and was able to get enough evidence to link Silva to the crime. Landis said that he also received several phone calls from people that knew Silva.
“This was big,” said Landis. “It was a combo of what was put together from Vermont and social media throughout New England.”
Landis added that Silva is facing at least one charge of armed robbery for the alleged incident at Key Bank. More information will come to light once Silva is able to be arraigned in a Massachusetts court.
Silva was previously convicted of first-degree robbery in 2011 in Connecticut. In March of 2010, Silva also plead guilty to armed robbery after he robbed a TD bank branch in Chicopee in July of 2009.
