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American Morning

Mysterious Robbery

Aired September 26, 2003 - 09:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The FBI is now releasing new information about that mysterious bank robbery in Pennsylvania. After holding up a bank back in August, Brian Wells was killed when a bomb locked around his neck exploded. Authorities still don't know if he was a victim or an accomplice.
Now investigators are releasing photos of this cane-shaped rifle that was found in Wells' car, and it's offering a $50,000 reward. Will it help solve the crime, though? Former FBI agent Don Clark joins us live from Houston.

Welcome.

DON CLARK, FMR. FBI AGENT: Thank you, Carol. Good to be here.

COSTELLO: Talk about this cane-shaped firearm. This is homemade, right?

CLARK: Yes, it is, Carol. You know, Carol, these weapons are rare, but they're not necessarily that unusual. And you don't have to be really that intellectually inclined to get them, pieces and put them together, because many of these components can be ordered independently, and they can be ordered, put together, and assembled, and someone with mechanical touch can do it relatively easy.

COSTELLO: So Mr. Wells could have done it himself?

CLARK: Well, yes, I think anyone could have done it. Sometimes kids can even put these things together. It's just a matter of assembling the components. And again, it goes to your mechanical inclination. If you can do that, then I think you can put these type of weapons together.

COSTELLO: That you would make a weapon as opposed to just stealing a weapon or buying a weapon, what does that tell you about the person who did this?

CLARK: Well, you know, the profilers would have to deal with that, the type of person who would do this. But some people just really like to do this. It's the intrigue, and we see even with our terrorists today, they are making different types of weapons, none of which I'll mention, but they're making different types of weapons out of things that we use every day, and this may be the same concept.

COSTELLO: Well, the FBI has actually developed a profile of someone who would make that type of weapon. They call that person deceptive, patient and mature. Would you agree with that assessment? CLARK: Well, you know, Carol, I made my living in New York, and in particular, down here in Texas using those profilers to give us an arena in which to conduct investigations. And I think that's what they're doing. Clearly, I think a person that would use a weapon or put a weapon like that together would exhibit deceptive characteristics. So I think that's what they've done is put us in an arena.

COSTELLO: That's pretty much common sense, isn't it? They're offering a $50,000 reward. Will that help?

CLARK: You'd like to think so. But awards are deceptive -- deceiving, I should say. And the reason that they are is because it's like a needle in a haystack. You really only have a small majority, or a few people, that may have the information, and that's the key. People who don't have the information can't collect the money. And the ones that do, you've got to find them. So that's why you've got to keep dangling the money out there.

COSTELLO: Let's talk more about Mr. Wells, the suspect here. Neighbors say he was a gentle soul, he lived with three cats, can't believe he would have done something like this.

But there are published reports now that say back in '91, Brian Wells actually threatened a judge if the judge didn't evict neighbors of his. He said he was going to put bullets in a judge's head. Who is this guy?

CLARK: Well, that's what they've got to determine. And I think that's what the FBI and the law enforcement community is really going to be grappling with, is that are we dealing with the victim here? Or are we dealing with someone who could have put this entire ordeal together? And sometimes we as neighbors and maybe even family members don't really have the true picture, because people who are deceptive tend to deceive those who are closest to them, and because that's the object of it, Carol.

COSTELLO: Your best guess, those, was he a victim?

CLARK: My best guess is, is that I think it's very possible that the person could not have been a victim. And I think the law enforcement community is looking at that, as well, although they seem to lean towards him being a victim, and they have more evidence than I do, because I have none.

COSTELLO: It's a very bizarre case, that's one thing for sure. Don Clark, many thanks for joining us this morning.

CLARK: Thank you, Carol.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired September 26, 2003 - 09:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The FBI is now releasing new information about that mysterious bank robbery in Pennsylvania. After holding up a bank back in August, Brian Wells was killed when a bomb locked around his neck exploded. Authorities still don't know if he was a victim or an accomplice.
Now investigators are releasing photos of this cane-shaped rifle that was found in Wells' car, and it's offering a $50,000 reward. Will it help solve the crime, though? Former FBI agent Don Clark joins us live from Houston.

Welcome.

DON CLARK, FMR. FBI AGENT: Thank you, Carol. Good to be here.

COSTELLO: Talk about this cane-shaped firearm. This is homemade, right?

CLARK: Yes, it is, Carol. You know, Carol, these weapons are rare, but they're not necessarily that unusual. And you don't have to be really that intellectually inclined to get them, pieces and put them together, because many of these components can be ordered independently, and they can be ordered, put together, and assembled, and someone with mechanical touch can do it relatively easy.

COSTELLO: So Mr. Wells could have done it himself?

CLARK: Well, yes, I think anyone could have done it. Sometimes kids can even put these things together. It's just a matter of assembling the components. And again, it goes to your mechanical inclination. If you can do that, then I think you can put these type of weapons together.

COSTELLO: That you would make a weapon as opposed to just stealing a weapon or buying a weapon, what does that tell you about the person who did this?

CLARK: Well, you know, the profilers would have to deal with that, the type of person who would do this. But some people just really like to do this. It's the intrigue, and we see even with our terrorists today, they are making different types of weapons, none of which I'll mention, but they're making different types of weapons out of things that we use every day, and this may be the same concept.

COSTELLO: Well, the FBI has actually developed a profile of someone who would make that type of weapon. They call that person deceptive, patient and mature. Would you agree with that assessment? CLARK: Well, you know, Carol, I made my living in New York, and in particular, down here in Texas using those profilers to give us an arena in which to conduct investigations. And I think that's what they're doing. Clearly, I think a person that would use a weapon or put a weapon like that together would exhibit deceptive characteristics. So I think that's what they've done is put us in an arena.

COSTELLO: That's pretty much common sense, isn't it? They're offering a $50,000 reward. Will that help?

CLARK: You'd like to think so. But awards are deceptive -- deceiving, I should say. And the reason that they are is because it's like a needle in a haystack. You really only have a small majority, or a few people, that may have the information, and that's the key. People who don't have the information can't collect the money. And the ones that do, you've got to find them. So that's why you've got to keep dangling the money out there.

COSTELLO: Let's talk more about Mr. Wells, the suspect here. Neighbors say he was a gentle soul, he lived with three cats, can't believe he would have done something like this.

But there are published reports now that say back in '91, Brian Wells actually threatened a judge if the judge didn't evict neighbors of his. He said he was going to put bullets in a judge's head. Who is this guy?

CLARK: Well, that's what they've got to determine. And I think that's what the FBI and the law enforcement community is really going to be grappling with, is that are we dealing with the victim here? Or are we dealing with someone who could have put this entire ordeal together? And sometimes we as neighbors and maybe even family members don't really have the true picture, because people who are deceptive tend to deceive those who are closest to them, and because that's the object of it, Carol.

COSTELLO: Your best guess, those, was he a victim?

CLARK: My best guess is, is that I think it's very possible that the person could not have been a victim. And I think the law enforcement community is looking at that, as well, although they seem to lean towards him being a victim, and they have more evidence than I do, because I have none.

COSTELLO: It's a very bizarre case, that's one thing for sure. Don Clark, many thanks for joining us this morning.

CLARK: Thank you, Carol.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com