Published: December 02, 2007 12:27 am         

Suspects in $7 million theft in Ohio arrested in Pipestem

A couple wanted in a $7 million theft from an Ohio armored car company was arrested early Saturday in southern West Virginia, the FBI said.

Roger Lee Dillon, 22, and Nicole N. Boyd, 24, both of Youngstown, Ohio, were arrested without incident at a Pipestem area residence around 4:30 a.m., Special Agent Scott Wilson of the FBI’s Cleveland office said. Agents from Cleveland, Youngstown, Pittsburgh and Beckley made the arrests.

Dillon was charged with bank larceny and Boyd with aiding and abetting, Wilson said.

Both Dillon and Boyd were being held in federal custody at Southern Regional Jail. Wilson said the two were awaiting a federal extradition hearing to be conducted in West Virginia, where federal authorities will seek the suspects’ extradition back to northeast Ohio.

Wilson said “a large sum of money” was recovered at the time of the arrests.

Last Monday, $7.4 million in cash and checks were stolen from AT Systems International’s facility in Liberty, Ohio, Wilson said. AT Systems International is an armored car company that picks up and delivers money for businesses and banks, and it serves most of northeast Ohio. Someone with apparent access to the facility turned off the building’s alarm system, took the money and then reactivated the alarm system. Two drivers later found cleaned-out safes and called police.

Dillon was an employee of AT Systems International, Wilson said. He did not show up for work the day after the theft, and the FBI later obtained an arrest warrant. As agents searched for Dillon, they discovered Boyd was his girlfriend and she could not be found, either. Agents then believed Dillon and Boyd were working together.

The day of the theft, a 1989 black GMC Safari van was purchased, Wilson said. It was found at the residence in Pipestem. Earlier, police in Salem, Ohio, had found a pickup truck belonging to Dillon after a resident recognized it from news reports.

Wilson declined to comment on what ties the suspects might have to southern West Virginia.

Dillon’s mother, Sharon Gregory, 48, of Youngstown, was present at the arrest site, Wilson noted. She has not been charged.

Wilson said the FBI will have a news conference Monday in Cleveland. The investigation is ongoing.

AT Systems International offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the theft. Wilson said he did not know if anyone was eligible to receive the award.

Dillon began work for AT Systems International’s Liberty office less than a year ago, said a representative of Garda, the company that purchased the armored car business in April.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com