Bank robbers nabbed within one hour of heist

By TOM KANE

CALLICOON, NY — Two robbers from Connecticut picked out the Bank of America branch in the hamlet of Callicoon to rob, not knowing how hawk-eyed some residents are in the small town.

The resident spied one of the culprits suspiciously walking across Callicoon Creek Park with $75,000 in a black garbage bag, seeming to place the “garbage” in a bin, but he jumped quickly into a get-away car. When the witness later heard about the robbery, she immediately contacted the state police with a description of the car.

Driving along Route 52 in the Town of Shawangunk in Orange County, the duo was nabbed by New York State Trooper David Dively, who spied the car carrying the two suspects. They didn’t know what hit them. They were nabbed exactly 60 minutes after the heist.

John Ryan, 58, of Cos Cob, CT and Scott Butterworth, 58, of Southport, CT were arrested for third degree robbery and second degree grand larceny.

The police investigators revealed that Ryan had entered the bank at 8:30 a.m. on October 30, wearing a Bill Clinton mask and threatened employees that he would detonate a bomb if they failed to follow his instructions. After securing the cash, Ryan cautioned the bank employees that the alleged bomb would be left behind to prevent the reporting of the robbery.

The duo was apparently attempting to return to Connecticut.

Later, the New York State Police bomb squad processed the alleged explosive, determining the device was a dud. The Sullivan County Sheriff’s department also assisted in the investigation.

Ryan is currently on federal parole for his involvement in six previous bank robberies. Butterworth had no previous bank robbery record. The two were arraigned before Village of Liberty Justice Harold Bauman and remanded to Sullivan County Jail without bail.

Anyone who might have witnessed the heist is asked to call the state police at 845/292-6600.