Killed robbery suspect linked to local heists?

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BY KEN KOSKY
kkosky@nwitimes.com
219.548.4354 | Tuesday, July 29, 2008 | (14 comment(s))

A suspect shot to death following a bank robbery in South Bend could be the same man who committed a series of unsolved robberies during the past several months in Valparaiso and Chesterton, police said.

Brian Szuflita, 29, of LaPorte, was shot by police minutes after a robbery at a 1st Source Bank branch on South Bend's north side Friday afternoon. Police said Szuflita was shot after pulling a knife and trying to attack officers who were chasing him.

Chesterton Detective Lt. David Cincoski, in whose town four bank robberies and a Walgreens robbery have occurred since January, said he has a photograph of Szuflita to show to bank and store employees in Chesterton.

If the employees positively identify Szuflita -- who was Hispanic -- it could solve one or more robberies, Cincoski said. The Walgreens robbery and two of the four bank robberies were committed by a Hispanic man.

In Valparaiso, a Hispanic man robbed the same First National Bank branch four times in four months in 2007, so Valparaiso Detective Lt. Tom Horn is interested in the man who was killed.

"We're obviously looking into the possibility," said Valparaiso police spokesman Sgt. Michael Grennes.

According to evidence in the cases, Szuflita does seem to match physical descriptions, and he lives in between the areas where the robberies have occurred.

Police hope to know within a few days whether this latest development will clear up their cases. The series of unsolved robberies has left authorities frustrated.

The previous robberies this year in Chesterton are the Jan. 25 robbery at 1st Source Bank on Indian Boundary Road; the April 7 robbery at the same 1st Source branch; the May 21 robbery at the Chase bank branch on Broadway; the July 1 robbery at the LaPorte Savings Bank on Indian Boundary Road; and the July 9 robbery at the Walgreens store on Indian Boundary Road.

In Valparaiso, First National Bank -- now owned by 1st Source -- on John Howell Drive was robbed four times in less than four months in 2007.

The robbery in South Bend was the fifth at that branch since November.

The South Bend Tribune and Associated Press contributed to this report.

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RE Lots of questions wrote on Jul 29, 2008 6:09 PM:

" You're still upset about Roswell too, aren't you? "

Lots of Questions wrote on Jul 29, 2008 4:21 PM:

" Why won't they say how many shots???
Why let him run 400 tards? 4 footbal fields?
If he did ALL these other things and he has been to jail 10 times in 2 years for driving while suspended and you STILL can't put 2+2 together???
This whole thing has been secretive from the get-go! WHY??? "

Intellegence wrote on Jul 29, 2008 12:16 PM:

" EXCELLENT!! One less mouth to feed in our society and no waiste of our tax money!! "

Re So wrote on Jul 29, 2008 12:14 PM:

" A taser is not an acceptable weapon or response to a person attacking with a knife. A person shot while threatening an officer with a knife is a justified use of deadly force. These SBPD Officers should be commended, they protected the citizens and they all went home safe and uninjured after dealing with a very dangerous subject. I also don't understand all the bashing of the CPD, these cases are very hard to work, VPD also was hit with several unsolved robberies. Chicago (one of the finest PD's in the country) have untold of bank robberies that go unsolved,all agencies are assisted by the FBI when a bank is robbed and many go unsolved for long periods, so blaming the local police because a robbery isn't solved is incorrect. If anyone bashing would like to try to become an officer perhaps you can do a better job. But beware it's harder to do the job than to sit at home and arm chair quarterback. "

So Cal Ron wrote on Jul 29, 2008 12:13 PM:

" To so: Please explain to me and everyone else your expertise, qualifications and credentials where it pertains to "Use Of Force" issues related to Law Enforcement. Oh yeah, you can't because you don't have any. The crayon written certificate for completion of the "Backyard Police Academy" obtained at the University of "Arm Chair Quarterbacking" and extra credit received for watching COPS doesn't count. "

Martmania wrote on Jul 29, 2008 11:52 AM:

" If you pull a weapon on a police officer they have the right to protect themselves. The robber got what he deserved. Clean shot good job police! "

JKC wrote on Jul 29, 2008 11:32 AM:

" "Fed Up With Criminals" SOOOOOOO WELL STATED! I couldn't agree more! I really believe that more police forces SHOULD use deadly force MORE often! "

response to so... wrote on Jul 29, 2008 10:11 AM:

" Do you not think a knife can kill you? A knife can kill you faster than a gun and knives go right through the protective armor cops wear. They had every right to use deadly force. "

Fed up with criminals wrote on Jul 29, 2008 9:42 AM:

" Good job officers. At least we don't have to waste a bunch of time and my tax money to defend, appeal, re-appeal, and feed and shelter dangerous criminals. This should happen more often. "

so wrote on Jul 29, 2008 9:28 AM:

" he was shot to death because he pulled a knife? Why didn't the police use a taser? Even if he threatened officers with a knife he wasnt really a threat at least not where cops needed to use deadly force. There's a lot of the story missing though... "

Intellegence wrote on Jul 29, 2008 8:13 AM:

" I wish he wasn't shot to death so they could get him to confess to everything!! "

Hammond resident wrote on Jul 29, 2008 8:11 AM:

" Never bring a knife to a gun fight. "

cpd wrote on Jul 29, 2008 7:42 AM:

" Well obviously the Chesterton PD had nothing to do with the arrest of this bank robber, so its a good guess he might be the guy. "

joe wrote on Jul 29, 2008 1:07 AM:

" good job "

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