Cops: Man in pink jumpsuit tries to hold up Lynbrook store

Blondes may have more fun, but they don't always get what they want.

A blond-wigged man in a pink jumpsuit carrying an off-white handbag walked into a stationery store in Lynbrook on Thursday afternoon, flashed a silver handgun - and announced he was robbing the place, police said.

All he got was a Gatorade - the befuddled clerk couldn't open the cash register.

"They were having trouble with their machines yesterday," said Det. Lt. Mike Fleming, the commanding officer of the Elmont-based Fifth Squad detectives, who are investigating.

The robbery took place at the C & R Stationery store on Union Avenue at about 1:25 p.m. Thursday, police said.

It was then the man - and police said it was a man in his mid-20s wearing the wig - walked into the store, displayed the handgun and demanded money.

"He kept his gun inside the purse until he announced the robbery," Fleming said Friday outside the store in a curbside news conference.

With the clerk unable to open the cash register, the man grabbed a Gatorade and bolted out the door, running north on Union.

"Although his disguise was comical, cross dressing as a woman, he did have the potential for violence," Fleming said. He added, "Despite his disguise he was a very serious threat to this young lady."

The Pink Bandit joins the ranks of robbers in the metro area who have tacked wacky elements onto their crimes - from one wearing a Darth Vader costume to rob a Setauket bank to another bank robber, in New York City, who brandished a flower bouquet.

"This guy, his efforts were rather notable," Fleming said. "He did a good job of distracting people from his features by pretending to be a woman."

With John Valenti