A piece of North Huntingdon’s police department is playing a role in a Hollywood movie being shot in Pittsburgh.
The township’s Special Weapons and Tactics vehicle has been used in the filming of “How to Rob a Bank,” said Harry Faulk, township manager.
The North Huntingdon name on the SWAT truck was to be covered with a wrap during filming, Faulk said.
The township commissioners last month approved the use of the vehicle at a cost of $2,000 per day. The film company also paid the salaries of two township police officers who were with the vehicle during filming in the Pittsburgh area.
Faulk said this week he did not know if the producers would be using the SWAT vehicle again.
Rare Leo Productions LLC of Beverly Hills, Calif., has been filming in the Pittsburgh area. As part of the production, the company received permission from the city to shut down the Roberto Clemente Bridge over the Allegheny River on June 23.
Rare Leo Productions is listed as the entity being insured under a $5 million liability policy issued to protect the township, according to the insurance coverage document that North Huntingdon received for the use of the vehicle.
Amazon MGM Studios of Culver City, Calif., is producing the film, according to publicity for the movie.
Carol McConnaughey, a publicist for the film company, did not respond to a request for a comment.
The movie was described in the Tales From the Collection website that it “follows a group of ingenious bank robbers who leverage social media to document their daring heists.” It is set against the backdrop of a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game with law enforcement.
Online publicity for “How to Rob a Bank” says the film is scheduled to be released for Labor Day weekend in 2026.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at [email protected].