Iowa City man charged with Cedar Rapids armed bank robbery arrives in Linn County Jail

CEDAR RAPIDS — An Iowa City man who was arrested in New Orleans in January after police believe he robbed a Cedar Rapids bank at gunpoint has been extradited to Linn County on robbery charges.

Andrew Derr, 21, is charged with two counts of first-degree robbery. According to a criminal complaint, on Jan. 3 he robbed the Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust branch at 5400 Council St NE.

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Derr was caught on video surveillance entering the bank, jumping over the counter and displaying a firearm at two tellers, according to the complaint. The tellers gave him $16,705 in cash, including marked bait money with serial numbers that are recorded by Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust. Derr made them put the money in a backpack with gray and black accents and rubber handle on it.

The vehicle Derr drove to the bank was captured on surveillance video at the bank, and by a license plate reader on a Cedar Rapids police car that was responding to the robbery. The license plate reader identified Derr as the owner of the vehicle.

Derr had opened an account with Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust in July 2023, and video surveillance at the time he came into the bank to open his account showed he had the same physical dimensions and the same distinct backpack as the robbery suspect, according to the complaint.

Police with a warrant searched Derr’s apartment in Iowa City and said they found his wallet, which had receipts for bank deposits at a bank in Westminster, Md., on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, and a receipt from the Chicago International Airport on Jan. 8. Police recovered the money deposited in Maryland, which contained 24 $20 bait bills. Police also found 37 $2 bills while searching Derr’s apartment, which was the exact amount of $2 bills taken during the robbery, the complaint states.

Derr had his first appearance in court Monday and is being held on a $100,000 bail.

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