Beaver Falls bank robbery suspect arrested after hours-long search

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. — A suspect in a bank robbery in Beaver Falls has been arrested after an active search on Tuesday.

Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier said the robbery happened at 12:37 p.m. Tuesday at Beaver Valley Federal Credit Union on 37th Street.

Lozier said the suspect, Derrick Grant, got away with a small amount of cash.

Jaxson Palaich, 10, said he was home with his parents and siblings when he saw a man running through yards near 29th Street in Beaver Falls. His father told Channel 11′s Antoinette DelBel that his son yelled over to the police.

A short time later, Jason and his brother saw several police cars swarm their street.

Police said the suspect ran into a nearby wooded area, which prompted the massive hours-long search on the ground and in the air.

“To come up and see all state troopers and armored cars, it’s kind of crazy because nothing that big goes on down here,” said Dadrian Dietrich of Beaver Falls.

SWAT teams, local, state and federal agencies used ATVs, drones and helicopters to search for the suspect they were calling dangerous.

Lozier said they don’t believe Grant had a gun.

“He should be considered dangerous just because he robbed a bank,” Lozier said.

Channel 11 asked authorities if the massive multi-agency response for a suspected bank robber was normal.

“It was,” said Beaver Falls Police Chief David Johnson. “It was a quick response. It was a professional response, and it was definitely successful.”

Brothers Jaxson Palaich and Lyncoln Thumm, 7, are still on edge but thankful.

“I’m just scared,” said Palaich. “I’m still scared. I’m shaking. I’m thankful he’s caught and no longer on the loose.”

Grant is charged with robbery, theft, receiving stolen property and evading on foot.

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