42-Year-Old Vermont Remains In Federal Custody Following A Burglary, Bank Robbery, & Car Theft Last Tuesday
Monday, August 19, 2024, 11:30 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
BURLINGTON, VT.- A 42-year-old Bellow Falls, Vermont man will remain jailed in federal custody in connection with a crack cocaine-fueled twenty-four-hour crime spree in Springfield and Putney, Vermont.
Stephen Loewe, 42, of Bellow Falls, Vermont, was charged in a federal complaint with robbing the Claremont Savings Bank in Springfield, Vermont, on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, Loewe made his first appearance in U.S. District Court and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing which has been scheduled for Thursday, August 22, 2024.
Documents Filed In Court
According to the allegations in the complaint filed with the court on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, during the early morning hours, Loewe committed a burglary of a Springfield, Vermont store. Later that morning, Loewe entered an M&T Bank branch in Springfield and demanded cash. Later that afternoon, Loewe entered the Claremont Savings Bank in Springfield and demanded $500, stating in a note that “it was a robbery.”
After fleeing the bank, Loewe then stole a car from a nearby gas station located in Springfield. The next morning, on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, Loewe entered an M&T Bank branch in Putney, Vermont, and again demanded cash, this time $1,500.
Drug Use Admitted
Loewe was apprehended later in the day on Wednesday, and during subsequent questioning, he admitted robbing the banks and using the money he stole to purchase cocaine base, “crack cocaine.”
If convicted on the federal bank robbery charges, Loewe faces 20 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine. Loewe will possibly face state charges for the burglary and motor vehicle theft.
“The rules of the court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”
