Kings Point police credit cameras in bank robbery arrest
Raymond Young, 70, of Tennessee was arrested in Queens and charged with robbing a Great Neck bank last month, Nassau County police said. Young was charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree criminal use of a firearm. Credit: Nassau County Police
Kings Point police Tuesdaycredited the village's extensive surveillance system with aiding in the arrest of a Tennessee man -- suspected in a recent area bank robbery -- after his license plate was caught on camera.
John "Jack" Miller, commissioner of the Kings Point Police Department, said a Kings Point resident witnessed the Sept. 27 robbery of the Chase bank branch on Middle Neck Road in Great Neck and called the department.
Miller said Kings Point police used the village's surveillance system, which captures images and license plates of vehicles entering the village at key points, and found a picture of the suspect and his car that matched what the woman reported.
Miller said the department forwarded the information to Nassau County police, and entered the license plate into the village's own database.
Just after 7 p.m. Sunday, Miller said, the surveillance system alerted Kings Point police that the suspect had returned to the village.
The department called Nassau County police and other police departments on the Great Neck peninsula. Lake Success police spotted the suspect, Raymond Young, 70, of Memphis, driving on Lakeville Road about 45 minutes later, and arrested him as he headed west on the Long Island Expressway, Lake Success police Sgt. Fred Nordt said.
Nassau County police would not comment on the role Kings Point police said they played.
"We're happy we were able to assist," Miller said.
Kings Point is expanding its surveillance system, which ultimately will include 44 license-plate readers at 19 intersections in the village, covering all entrances to the 3.3-square-mile village, Miller said.
The plan drew concerns from civil liberties advocates as well as residents worried about the price tag of the extensive system. In June, the village approved bonds for the $1,140,000 system.
Meanwhile, Glen Cove is planning to enhance its own surveillance system with license-plate readers. The city used a federal grant to purchase 53 security cameras for its downtown area and in its parking garages. The system, installed last year, was credited with helping to nab a man last month who allegedly tried to abduct a child.
The City Council on Tuesday was scheduled to vote on whether to install the license-plate readers along Route 107 using the same grant.
