Bigfork man charged in Lakeside bank robbery

Law enforcement officials arrested a Bigfork contractor wanted in connection with the robbery of a Lakeside bank at around 9:30 p.m. last Wednesday night, Sept. 28, following an extensive search involving multiple agencies.

The suspect, 55-year-old Steve Dee Norred, allegedly left Glacier Bank, located at the corner of U.S. Highway 93 and Bierney Creek Road, at around 3 p.m. Wednesday with more than $14,000 after displaying what appeared to be a gun in a holster, according to charging documents filed by Deputy Flathead County Attorney Lori Adams.

Norred allegedly fled the bank on a red-and-silver dirt bike, heading west on Bierney Creek Road.

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office — in conjunction with Montana Highway Patrol, the Kalispell Police Department, the U.S. Forest Service and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — launched a massive search effort in the area.

A man followed the suspect out of the bank and tailed him along Bierney Creek Road until he lost sight of the motorbike. Later, Norred allegedly emerged from the woods on a logging road, driving a Dodge pickup. The witness was able to get his license plate number and later identified Norred as the driver of the truck in a photo lineup.

The vehicle was traced to the home of Norred’s mother, who told officials she had purchased the truck for her son and gave them his home address. When Norred came by his mother’s home later that day, he learned of the search for him. 

When questioned by Sheriff Chuck Curry and Undersheriff Jordan White, Norred’s wife said he had told her he was out hunting in the Lake Mary Ronan area. Later, she contacted the sheriff’s office and said she had heard from Norred, who had apparently changed his story to say that he had been in Ferndale working and would be home in 30 minutes.

Norred was arrested at 9:30 p.m. that night following a traffic stop on Montana Highway 35 just south of Bigfork.

According to the court affidavit, a black holster containing a pistol — along with several bundles of cash — were plainly visible inside of the vehicle during the stop.

After searching the vehicle, law enforcement officials recovered $3,600. The cash was taken to Glacier Bank, where it was confirmed that the money was bundled in the same way that the bank bundles its money.

On Thursday, officials recovered a red-and-silver dirt bike in the area where the bank witness had last seen the suspect riding it. The previous owner of the bike said he had sold it to a man matching Norred’s description.

Investigators are currently looking into Norred’s possible involvement in a string of unsolved bank robberies in the area, including the May 31 robbery of Bitterroot Valley Bank in St. Regis, the April 5 robbery of First Valley Bank in Seeley Lake, the Sept. 24, 2010, robbery of the First Interstate Bank in Bigfork and the Nov. 11, 2010, robbery at the same Glacier Bank location that he is suspected of robbing Wednesday in Lakeside. Additionally, he is suspected to have been involved in the Sept. 6, 2009, robbery of Muralt’s Truck Stop in Missoula.

“We’re working on additional leads and writing and issuing search warrants,” Curry said. “This case is actually being worked in cooperation with the FBI, so there are actually FBI agents running around.”

Norred made his initial appearance in Flathead County Justice Court on Friday on one count of robbery. He remains incarcerated at the Flathead County Jail on $250,000 bail.

Norred’s personal financial struggles may have prompted his actions.

Norred and his wife filed for bankruptcy on Dec. 11, 2009 — around the time the robberies began — according to documents filed through U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Butte.

The couple cited more than $2 million in debt and reportedly had two condominiums repossessed or surrendered in 2008.

Several others of Norred’s belongings and properties were also listed as having been repossessed or surrendered prior to the bankruptcy filing, including a 2007 Pontiac, two 2007 Dodge vehicles, a 2004 Hummer, a 2003 Glastron boat, a motor and a trailer. He also lost two Bigfork properties.

The total value of everything seized was more than $1 million.

Despite the high value of property and claims involved in the case, Norred reported his household income — including that of his wife — totaled just $44,691 in 2007, $69,901 in 2008 and $53,621.23 in 2009. Throughout that period and earlier, Norred worked as a general contractor, doing business as Steve Norred Construction Inc. from 1996 to 2007, renaming the business Flathead River Construction in 2007.

At the time the filing was made, their average monthly income was reported to be $5,298, roughly $200 less than their monthly expenses. Norred and his wife had $93 in cash and $12 between two checking accounts.

The debt was discharged March 16, 2010, and the case was terminated three days later.

In the ruling, Norred and his wife were allowed to retain one vehicle — a 2008 Dodge Nitro — and approximately $2,350 worth of property, including $69.75 in cash.

Daily Inter Lake reporter Jesse Davis contributed to this article.