Police arrest Copiague man in bank hold up
Shortly before 11 a.m., yesterday, a man walked into the Washington Mutual Bank branch in Copiague and announced a hold up. Today, police arrested and charged Joseph L. Russo, 46, of 315 Greenlawn Terrace, Copiague in that incident. Police gave this account:
Russo allegedly entered the Washington Mutual Bank branch, 895 Merrick Road, at 10:02 a.m. and approached a teller with a note announcing a robbery and demanding cash. The teller complied with the robber’s demands and gave him cash and a dye pack from the drawer. Russo robber exited the bank and fled in a northeasterly direction toward Stewart Avenue. On Stewart Avenue, the dye pack activated causing the robber to drop it along with the proceeds.
First Precinct Officers canvassed the area of the robbery and located a witness who observed a man fitting the bank robber’s description getting into a cab. The cab company was contacted and disclosed where the passenger was taken. Police Officers Douglas Cortes and Michael Maio responded to 315 Greenlawn Terrace, Copiague, where the cab dropped off its passenger. While interviewing Joseph L. Russo, 46, who resides at that address, they observed red dye on his clothing. They also confirmed that his clothing and his physical description matched that of the bank robber. Officers Cortes and Maio took Russo into custody.
Suffolk County Police Major Case Investigations Unit detectives have charged Russo with one count of Robbery 3rd degree. Russo will be held overnight at the Seventh Precinct and will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on June 25.
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