Wanted Bank Robber Billy Ray Barker Strikes Again Today

The FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department are seeking the public's assistance to locate Billy Ray Barker, who has been charged via a criminal complaint in United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with one count of bank robbery in connection with the robbery of the Wachovia Bank branch located at 601 West Erie Avenue in Philadelphia on August 5, 2009. Barker is also a suspect in two bank robberies that occurred last week on August 13, at the Wachovia Bank branch located at 2843 North Broad Street at 10:05 a.m. and the PNC Bank branch located at 3244 North Broad Street at 9:52 a.m. Barker is also wanted on a Federal parole violation.

At approximately 11:34 a.m. today, Barker allegedly entered the Bank of America branch at 1650 North Broad Street in Philadelphia and presented a threatening demand note to a teller. He was wearing a black baseball cap, white t-shirt, dark pants and white sneakers. He fled the bank on foot in an unknown direction.

Barker is 41 years old, 5’11” tall, 180 pounds, with a closely cropped salt-and-pepper beard and mustache. He has tattoos on both his right and left arms. He is known to frequent the areas of North Broad and West Erie Avenues (the 2800 block of North Broad and the 600 block of West Erie Avenue).

Two photographs of Barker are below. Barker is considered armed and dangerous, and anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the FBI at 215-418-4000 or the Philadelphia Police Department. There may be a reward for information leading to his apprehension, and tipsters can remain anonymous.

To view flyers of this and other bank robbery subjects wanted by the FBI/Major Crimes Task Force, please visit www.pdonline.org and click on the Detectives Box and the Violent Crimes Task Force link.

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