SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield man has been implicated in a string of bank robberies and other crimes across southeastern Vermont, leading to his detention by order of a federal judge.
Stephen Loewe, 42, appeared in U.S. District Court in Burlington late Thursday afternoon facing charges of using “force, violence and intimidation” in the robbery of Claremont Savings Bank in Springfield on Tuesday afternoon.
Assistant Federal Defender Sara Puls sought a one-week continuance for a motion by the prosecution to have Loewe jailed pending trial.
Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle scheduled the hearing for Aug. 22.
Vermont State Police Detective Sgt. Jeffrey W. Stephenson stated in a court affidavit that Loewe is also a suspect in another bank robbery at the M&T Bank in Springfield on Tuesday morning, as well as a robbery in Putney on Wednesday morning.
Additionally, Springfield Police used surveillance video to identify Loewe as the suspect in an overnight burglary at Clever Cow Design, where cash and a tool were stolen.
During the M&T Bank robbery, the perpetrator, matching Loewe’s description, handed a teller a demand note requesting cash and explicitly warning against dye packs, GPS tracking, or triggering the alarm.
Springfield Sgt. Jeremy Fitzgibbons and Officer Robert Kelsey identified Loewe as the suspect based on past encounters.
Later that day, the Claremont Savings Bank was robbed by a man with a similar description.
The teller complied with the demand note, but the robber counted the money and requested an additional $100 bill.
The demand note was left at the scene.
Loewe was said to have stolen a car from Penguin Mart later that day and to have been involved in a brief pursuit with Springfield Police, which he evaded.
He spent the night in the backroads of Putney, according to Vermont State Police Sgt. Ryan Wood.
Loewe admitted to using the stolen money to purchase drugs and to giving some away.
He was eventually arrested on Wednesday night in Brattleboro by Vermont State Police.
At the time of his arrest, Loewe had approximately $636 in cash, believed to be the remainder of the money stolen from the Putney robbery.
Law enforcement found a stolen vehicle at the Brattleboro Transportation Center, which is believed to be connected to Loewe and the Putney robbery.
