Dutch Police Hold ATM Courier Accused of Stealing $1.2 Million

A bank employee whose job was to refill automated teller machines has been captured in Amsterdam after allegedly stealing $1.2 million in cash.

Dutch police arrested Sean Hitchman on Thursday as he returned to his room at a Holiday Inn, where he had registered under his own name.

The 27-year-old Mellon Bank courier had about $45,000 in U.S. dollars and Belgian francs with him, plus $740,000 in his car at Pittsburgh International Airport, most of it under a seat, officials said. About $400,000 was still missing.

Hitchman was accused of taking the money, intended for 13 cash machines in the Pittsburgh area, on Sept. 14 and 15.

His older brother Terry Hitchman, 29, suggested that the temptation of working with so much cash might have been too great.

“I mean, we’re not poor, but we certainly don’t have a lot of money,” he said. “I’m not even sure if we can afford a lawyer.”

Terry Hitchman said his younger brother had never been in trouble before, “except maybe a speeding ticket.”

On Sept. 16, Hitchman flew from Pittsburgh to Iceland and Luxembourg, eventually reaching Amsterdam, where he spent much of the week, U.S. Atty. Fred Thieman said. Hitchman did not resist when Dutch officers arrested him.

He was indicted on theft charges and is expected to be extradited to Pittsburgh within three months.