Jerry Collins, Tyree Holmes Indicted in Armored Truck Heist Shootout

A $434,000 armored truck heist turned deadly on the 3500 block of Market Street in University City, Philadelphia, erupted into gunfire on August 1, 2019, when two masked men, one armed with a Glock 17 and the other with a loaded assault rifle, ambushed a Garda security guard during a routine cash drop. Jerry Collins, 40, and Tyree Lamont Holmes, 28, both of Philadelphia, PA, are now facing federal indictment for the brazen daylight robbery that spiraled into a violent shootout in the heart of a densely populated urban district.

According to the federal indictment, Holmes and an unidentified accomplice exited a parked Chevy Trailblazer behind the armored truck just after 10:00 a.m. Dressed in masks and gloves, they approached the guard as he removed three black bags of cash. Brandishing their weapons, they announced the robbery while Collins waited behind the wheel of the getaway vehicle. Holmes allegedly seized the bags and turned toward the Trailblazer when two armed security guards opened fire, prompting the robbers to return fire in a hail of bullets on a busy city block.

Chaos erupted as rounds tore through the air. Holmes dropped the stolen cash and fled on foot amid the gunfire, while the second suspect jumped into the Trailblazer with driver Jerry Collins and sped away. Miraculously, despite the barrage of gunfire exchanged in broad daylight, no bystanders were struck or killed. The abandoned money was recovered at the scene, but the damage to public safety was undeniable.

Federal and local authorities moved in over the following months. Holmes was apprehended by the Philadelphia Police Department on February 18, 2020. Collins was taken into custody by the FBI on August 7, 2020. Both are now charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, robbery affecting interstate commerce, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Holmes remains detained; prosecutors have moved to detain Collins as well, with a detention hearing scheduled for August 11, 2020.

‘Robbing any type of business – especially a brazen armed robbery of an armored vehicle in broad daylight – is a serious federal offense that can carry stiff penalties,’ said U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain. ‘And here, the alleged robbery precipitated a shootout on a busy city block that endangered many innocent bystanders. It is remarkable that nobody was struck and killed. This type of criminal behavior is completely unacceptable.’

Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, emphasized the recklessness of the attack: ‘This was a risky armed robbery carried out on a dense and active block in University City. The robbery crew showed up armed to the teeth to accost Garda personnel, prompting a barrage of gunfire.’ Each defendant now faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of seven years without parole, up to five years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine. The case was investigated by the FBI and Philadelphia Police, with support from the University of Pennsylvania Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney José Arteaga.