Suspect in 6 robberies arrested in Queens

A man suspected of committing six bank robberies over a 10-week span -- all but one of them on Long Island -- was arrested without incident Friday morning outside his Queens residence, Suffolk police said.

Michael Walsh, 58, of East Elmhurst, was charged with two of the robberies: the People's United Bank in East Northport on June 30 and the Chase branch in Northport on July 26, police said.

"Northport Village police helped us ID him. They were aware of an older guy from way back. He used to live in Northport years ago, and bank robbers like to work in areas they're familiar with," said Suffolk police Det. Lt. Gerard Pelkofsky.

Nassau police and officials in Newburgh, in upstate Orange County, said Walsh also would be charged with bank robberies in their jurisdictions.

Pelkofsky said the gun used in the robbery, an air pistol that resembles a 9-mm handgun, was recovered when Walsh was arrested at 10:21 a.m.

Walsh was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery, police said. He is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Saturday.

Lt. Michael Clancy of the Town of Newburgh police said Walsh apparently robbed a bank in the upstate town because "he was doing somebody a favor" by dropping off a friend or relative nearby -- and Clancy said Walsh decided to rob a bank during the trip back.

"Who knows what's going through the guy's head?" he said.

In March 2009, Walsh was released from state prison and put on lifetime parole. He'd been locked up at Shawangunk prison in upstate Wallkill for robberies that included a 1988 stickup of a RadioShack on Jericho Turnpike in Garden City Park, said Det. Sgt. John Giambrone, commanding officer of the Nassau police Robbery Squad.