Friday night's routine at Beacon Cinema in Pittsfield took a sharp turn to crime drama when a male thief, later identified as Kyle Richard Wilbur, age 32, threatened a staff member with a claimed weapon and heisted an undisclosed amount of cash. The armed robbery, reported at approximately 10:18 PM on February 23, set the Pittsfield Police Department into swift action as they scoured the area for the suspect based on eyewitness accounts.
With assistance from the initial reports and witness descriptions, law enforcement was hot on the trail of Wilbur. Officers stumbled upon a man fitting the suspect's description at the junction of Francis Ave., and Bradford St. shortly after the incident. The victim subsequently pegged Wilbur as the robber albeit no weapon was found on him. The police charged Wilbur with Armed Robbery under MGL C. 265, S.17 and whisked him away to the Pittsfield Police Department, where they also confiscated the recovered cash.
The incident, reminiscent of a movie plot unfolding in real-time before the community's eyes, resulted in a quick resolution. According to the Pittsfield Police Department, no injuries were reported during the robbery or the arrest that followed swiftly after.
By Monday, February 26, the wheels of justice were turning for Wilbur as he faced the music at the Pittsfield District Court for his arraignment. The court dealings came just days after his alleged movie-style robbery, but this time, the script was being written by the law. Details of the arraignment were not released, but with the evidence in hand, authorities believe they have their man.
