Seeking the Public’s Assistance to Locate a Fugitive Wanted for Bank Robbery

The FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to locate a wanted Federal fugitive who was charged earlier today via a criminal complaint in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with Bank Robbery.

Rashon Mitchell is 35 years of age, 5’9” tall, 210 pounds, with a stocky build, a beard and mustache, and prescription eyeglasses. He has been charged in connection with the robbery of the FirstTrust Bank branch located at 1515 Market Street on September 29, 2009, and the attempted robbery of the Polonia Bank branch at 2133 Spring Garden on September 28, 2009. Mitchell is also considered a suspect in the robberies of the FirstTrust Bank branch at 1901 Walnut Street on September 25, 2009, and the TD Bank branch at 4020 City Avenue on October 4, 2009.

Mitchell is considered armed and dangerous. A photograph of Mitchell is below.

There may be a reward available for information leading to the apprehension of this subject. Tipsters may remain anonymous. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of this subject is asked to call the FBI at 215-418-4000 or the Philadelphia Police Department.

As a note to this request for the public’s assistance, bank robberies are up this year compared to the same period last year; there have been 94 total bank robberies within the city of Philadelphia so far this year compared to 70 for the same period last year (2008), and of those 94 so far this year 16 are classified as “armed” (i.e. a weapon was actually displayed or used, not just threatened) compared to 6 armed robberies for the same period last year.

To view flyers of this and other bank robbery subject wanted by the FBI/Major Crimes Task Force, please visit www.ppdonline.org and click on the Detectives Box and the Violent Crimes Task Force link.