Fugitive Bank Robber Arrested in Canada

JAMES LOUIS WHITTLESEY, wanted for multiple armed bank robberies in the United States, was arrested yesterday in Montreal, Canada without incident.

WHITTLESEY was charged with aggravated bank robbery and attempted capital murder of a police officer stemming from a 10/14/2011 armed robbery of a United Bank in Winchester, Virginia; and is a suspect in multiple armed robberies in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Early on, investigators issued a press release announcing the use of digital billboards to draw attention to the fugitive and posted information on the FBI’s website. The FBI then enlisted the assistance of “America’s Most Wanted” who recently traveled to Winchester to interview investigators and begin filming a reenactment. The segment was to air this coming Friday.

Law enforcement in the United States had been coordinating investigative efforts with the Canadian authorities for some time and through this partnership was successful in locating WHITTLESEY and peacefully taking him into custody.

A deportation hearing is expected this week at which time it is expected WHITTLESEY will then be turned over to United States authorities and transported to Virginia to face the pending charges.

This was a joint investigation involving the Richmond, Baltimore, and Philadelphia Offices of the FBI; the Winchester Police Department; the Maryland State Police Fugitive Unit; the Canadian Border Services Agency; the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and members of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Forces in Winchester and Maryland.

This case will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Virginia.