A prior mug shot of Brandon Scerri, from one of his many other robberies down the east coast
On June 26-the Hastings on Hudson Police Department released the following statement.
As you may be aware, on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at approximately 5:19 am, the Hastings-on-Hudson Police Department received a 911 call from a resident of Broadway reporting her house was currently being burglarized by a man armed with a handgun. Hastings-on-Hudson Police Officers were dispatched to the scene along with mutual aid from the Dobbs Ferry Police Department. The officers checked the home, and it was determined that the suspect had fled before their arrival. The Hastings-on-Hudson Detective Division began an investigation and was assisted by the Yonkers Police Department Detective Division, the Westchester Real Time Crime Center, the Greenburgh Task Force, and the FBI Westchester Safe Street Task Force. After a lengthy investigation, on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, the perpetrator, in this case, will be formally charged with this crime. He will be arraigned in the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson Justice court and sent to the Westchester County Jail. I want to commend the officers of the Hastings-on-Hudson Police Department for a successful investigation, and I would like to thank all the agencies involved for their assistance,” end of statement.
While the Hastings police did not release the name of the suspect, other media reports confirmed that Brandon Scerri, 29, was the man arrested and charged.
The police statement does not include the fact that the couple was tied and gagged, and that they had a young infant in their home at the time of the robbery. This story was posted on social media during the recent campaign for District Attorney. It is possible that the incident released by police is not the same as the incident we read about several weeks ago.
After a Google search, we found a number of stories about incidents concerning Scerri all over the East Coast. Scerri had outstanding arrest warrant from Pennsylvania and Flordia for bank robberies and violent felonies.
Another local media report said that this robber, or another robbery occured in Westchester in Oct. 26 of last year. But media outlets in Pennsylvania and Florda said that Scerri was in those states last year robbing banks.
Scerri is accused of two robberies in Westchester. One in Arsdley and one in Dobbs Ferry. He is charged with
- First-degree robbery;
- First-degree burglary;
- Second-degree criminal possession of a weapon;
- Third-degree grand larceny;
- Third-degree criminal possession of stolen property.
Scerri will be extradited to Pennsylvania for the following crime. “On June 5, 2024, the North Strabane Township Police Department was dispatched to a bank robbery at the First National Bank located at 2620 Washington Road. Since that robbery, our agency has worked tirelessly with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Washington City Police Department, the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, and other surrounding police departments. Today, June 10, 2024, we are announcing the issuance of full extradition arrest warrants for the two actors, Brandon Scerri and Kayla Pruett. With that, we ask for community vigilance and support in making reports of their known whereabouts.”
Here is what is different from the way law enforcement in Pennsylvania asked the public for help. “They should be considered armed and dangerous, and based on past conduct, we believe they are a threat to the community. They were last known to be in Washington County, Greene County or surrounding areas. Both are strongly encouraged to contact our department to make arrangements for their surrender.”
But in Westchester, no information was released to the public about Scerri, or the danger he posed to the public. Both styles are acceptable, “Sometimes they don’t want to jeapardize the opportunity to catch the guy,” said one of our friends in Westchester law enforcment
Media reports of Scerri’s Pennsylvania bank robbery state, “According to the complaint, a gun was never seen. The teller told authorities the robber got frustrated when she gave him $150 in $1 bills and one $5 bill. The man allegedly told her to open the drawer to prove there was no more money. Officials say after seeing there was no more cash, he grabbed what was given to him and tried to walk out of the bank. According to the complaint, the robber could not open the door and turned to yell at the teller if she was going to let him out. The report states she then told him that he had to pull not push the door. Once he was able to open the door, officials said he fled on foot.”
Scerri had stopped at a gas station before the bank robbery in PA and was caught on video. He is accused of robbing a second bank in the area.
Scerri had an accomplice in most of his crimes. Her name is Kayla Pruett. According to PA report, Pruett is also in custody here in NY. But there has been no mention of her in police reports or media reports. “The couple from Wellsburg, WV is accused of the June 5 robbery of the First National Bank in Canonsburg, Pa. The couple got away with $7,450 and was later seen on surveillance spending the stolen money on fast food and at a drug store.”
