Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 9

DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE, ROCHESTER, N. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1993 9A sH bog $10.8 million stolen from truck in 1990 By Greg Livadat Staff writer On June 26, 1990, several robbers made off with $10.8 million in cash "Vr -I' 4- I 4 ril, ..1,. i I M.Jjjfr.n l' I w. from an Armored Motor Services of America truck in Henrietta. That robbery investigation the most extensive in the history of the Monroe County sheriffs office remains active. More than 1,200 people have been interviewed, and a $750,000 reward has been offered. The crime occurred about 7 a.m., when AMSA driver Albert M. Ran-ieri and guard Janet Brown were on their way to deliver unmarked bills to the Federal Reserve bank in Buffalo. When they stopped at the Bi-Rite Market on East River Road in Henrietta for sandwiches, they were hijacked by a gunman wearing a tan shirt possibly an AMSA uniform. The gunman forced Ranieri to drive to a nearby wooded area on )f' A.M. Ranieri Bailey Road, where the money was loaded into a stolen Chevrolet van that had been hand-painted gray. Both guards were bound with duct tape and blindfolded. The robbery wasn't reported for a half-hour, because the guards didn't use their radio, choosing instead to drive the truck to AMSA's headquarters on Scottsville '1 Burr Ltwit Staff photographer On June 26, 1990, a guard stands by the armored truck that was hijacked and robbed earlier that morning of $10.8 million in cash. The investigation of the case is still active. Democrat (tftromcte cHc3 Thieves elude capture pss in $10.8 million holdup MeigiibrSidl psy Sii had a taoijh aboyt iBriinlcs heist m-M Gtmc MtMr Wtes back ton from tomwr rjl A.B. Ranieri The get. away van stolen from Ontario County was found the next day, behind a club at 163 Lincoln Ave. in Rochester, with 70 empty cash trays, bags of coins and $12,000 to $13,000 in white envelopes. During the month following the robbery, nearly 100 deputies and FBI agents worked on the case and followed up on several hundred leads. Officials say they cannot locate stolen money. But from the start, Ranieri, 28, was the focus of investigation. Ranieri was followed by law en-'orcement officials for months and lis phone was wired. His attorney, Daniel Aureli, says that federal au-horities have continually harassed lis client. Officials have said Ranieri failed i lie detector test and has not re-urned to AMSA since the robbery, lanet Brown, officials say, passed ler lie detector test and returned to vork with the company. In April 1991, federal officials aided Ranieri's home in Parma and eized uniforms, financial records ind a rubber Halloween mask. His Police want help in finding suspects The Rochester Police Department is asking for help from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the South Avenue area last night between 7 and 7:30 p.m. Those who may have noticed unusual activity that could be related to the robbery of the Brinks Inc. armored car terminal should call 911. itbnW. Si5SS behind a little sign that reads: "Age Deposit, $20 if under 21." Taxi numbers are posted over the pay phone and a stack of business cards from Red Front Liquors rests on a table. "I do art on the side," Flansburg, a Palmyra native, said. "I paint jackets, do ink drawings, stuff like that. I'm not rich or famous, yet. But give me time." Through the evening, two television crews came in to photograph him at work, and he answered their questions as he had answered questions for the police. "I didn't see anything or hear anything," he said. "I wish I had." Out front, as the television broadcasting trucks set up and the first police cars started pulling away, three Ukranian immigrants stood watching and wondering what This is the weirdest thing I've seen yet. And we get some really interesting characters Alex Flansburg was going on. They quickly shook their heads when ssked their names, and when a television reporter, stopped one of Ukranians said, "I don't speak English." "I wonder how much they got away with," he said after the report-' er had walked away. "I bet it was a lot. "I wish they would throw some at SCENE from page 1A suspected anybody would rob that place. "You see a guy over there with tools every now and then but I think it's just a place they fix the trucks." A man who didn't identify himself stood on the second-story balcony at the Downtown Motor Lodge, holding a plate of food covered with tin foil. "Can you believe it?" he said. "The one night I go out to get myself something to eat and this happens. I'm sorry I missed it" Behind him, city police officers worked from door to door, asking motel guests if they had seen anything of the robbery. At that point, none said they had. Neither had Alex Flansburg, down at the office. A 25-year-old with a ponytail and an American Library The front page of the 'Democrat and Chronicle' on the day of the 1990 AMSA armored car heist. flag bandana around his head, Flansburg has been a night desk clerk for three months. "This is the weirdest thing I've seen yet," he said. "And we get some really interesting characters here." Flansburg works in a caged room, property was later returned. Last July, Ranieri and his father Albert B. Ranieri 53, who lives on John Street were arrested, but freed after authorities raided the elder Ranieri's garage and failed to find the stolen money. i iiiii unw imwumuiHiii 't' i ijupi.i.ipiim win mn imn i luui) imi i ijii in. i mi ijii i i urn I umiin i mi in wiwiiiinu-nTniiiiniifWiiMiiiiiiiii mmn i mw mi i iiiu mi nn nun i 1 1 im ffrrnTrnrTwrrnrnrriniiiTiw -rwroinmrriWTiiiii mi 11 i mil -T 5''' ---y -x- -t -v. VrifA'- i 4 f-. J. mm i i i 1 i i I 1 i i I lS- a lr w. 4i VJ f' "-v'it jf '1 2- Kwn SchMty Stan photographer 'ith the Rochester skyline in the background, the Brinks Corp. armored car facility on South Avenue was the target last night of a reported $10 million robbery. Police were seeking two or three armed suspects.