An afternoon run to a Deerfield Township shopping center turned into a crime scene Friday when armed robbers targeted a Brink's armored truck near Kings Auto Mall off Fields Ertel Road, triggering a heavy multi-agency police response. The truck was later found, but at least one suspect was still on the loose as officers combed the area. The driver was injured and treated at the scene while investigators worked to figure out what, if anything, was taken.
Police said the call came in around 5 p.m. Friday. The Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed that a Brink's vehicle had been robbed and later recovered, according to WLWT. The outlet reported that no arrests had been made and that officers were searching for at least one suspect. Authorities had not yet confirmed what was removed from the truck, if anything.
On the Scene
According to an officer cited by WLWT, the suspect walked up to the armored truck with a shotgun outside the Ross store and assaulted the driver. Deputies from Symmes Township and Deerfield Township, along with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and Westchester police, moved in to lock down the shopping center while medics treated the injured driver.
Officers told the outlet that the suspect then drove the armored vehicle only a short distance before ditching it and taking off on foot, prompting an intensive search of the surrounding area.
Why Investigators Treat These Incidents Seriously
Armored-truck robberies do not happen every day, but when they do, they tend to involve big money and fast, coordinated investigations. As CBS Philadelphia has reported, recent cases in other regions have drawn in joint task forces and led to serious federal and local charges.
Police Magazine has also documented instances where investigators used tracking devices to follow suspects and recover large sums after Brink's-related heists, underscoring how aggressively law enforcement tends to pursue these crimes.
What Investigators Are Asking
Officials are asking anyone who witnessed the robbery or who has dash-cam or doorbell-camera footage from the area around the time of the incident to contact local law enforcement or the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The investigation remains active, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
