Greenwich Bank Robbery Suspect Brought Back To Connecticut

GREENWICH, CT — David E. Byers, 34, suspected of two bank robberies and a gas station robbery in Greenwich in April, was arraigned in Hartford federal court today, Aug. 4, after being extradited from California where he was apprehended in May.

Byers, of Solana Beach, CA, was charged with two counts of bank robbery and one count of violating the Hobb’s Act by the Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s office after an investigation by Greenwich Police with assistance by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to Greenwich authorities.

He pleaded not guilty Friday and is currently being held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 11.

"Greenwich Police investigators obtained several leads which led to the identification of Byers as the suspect for all three robberies in Greenwich and an arrest warrant was obtained for him by Greenwich Police on May 2, 2017," wrote Greenwich Police Capt. Robert Berry, of the department's Detective Division, in a statement. "Investigators were able to establish that Byers fled this area to the San Diego area. Agents from the FBI, assisted by the San Diego Sheriff’s Office, apprehended Byers without incident later the same day."

Before fleeing to California, Byers was chased by authorities from Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania but was able to elude them.

Greenwich Police arranged with the FBI to have Byers, who was nicknamed the "Beefcake Bandit" but the press because of his shirtless fitness modeling, transferred in federal custody to Connecticut so that he could be arraigned for the crimes committed in Greenwich.

Photo: David E. Byers. Photo credit: Yuma, Arizona, Police Department's Facebook page