Police: 2 tries, 1 successful bank robbery

A would-be bank robber fled a West Hempstead bank without taking a dime Monday after he walked up to a teller and began preparing a demand note, but the teller ran off, police said.

Less than an hour later, however, someone matching that suspect's description robbed a bank in South Farmingdale, Nassau County police said.

Police would not say if the two incidents are related.

The attempted robbery was at the Roslyn Savings Bank branch on Hempstead Turnpike at 1:08 p.m., police said. The other robbery was at the Capital One Bank branch on Merritts Road in South Farmingdale at about 2 p.m.

Police said in both cases, the suspect was 30 to 40 years old and 6 feet tall, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and baseball cap.

Police said the first robbery attempt was thwarted because the man attempted to write his demand note at the counter during the robbery. He fled after the teller walked away.

Police said there were five employees and three customers in the bank.

In the successful robbery, the suspect presented a teller with a demand note that was already completed, police said.

It was not clear how much cash was taken in that robbery. Five employees and five customers were in that bank. No one was injured in either incident, police said.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding the two incidents to call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS.

All calls will remain confidential, police said.