An alert bank employee helped Suffolk County Police catch a man suspected of two East Northport bank robberies in eight days.
Alan Lepre, 49, of East Northport, was arrested Friday and charged with two counts of third degree robbery, police said, hours after he allegedly held up the HSBC Bank on Larkfield Road.
According to police, Lepre demanded cash from a teller at HSBC Bank at approximately 9:55 a.m. Police say Lepre took cash and fled on foot headed west.
After reviewing video footage of the robbery, a bank employee recognized the suspect as a past customer.
Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.
Detectives also linked Lepre to the TD Bank heist on Dec. 21. In that robbery, the suspect wore a Mardi Gras mask and fled with cash out the back into the neighborhood.
Lepre is being held overnight at the Second Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned Saturday at First District Court in Central Islip.
The incident was a reminder of the summer of 2011 when the Northport area was being stalked by a serial bank robber. Suffolk Police, with help from Northport Police officers, caught up with Michael Walsh, of East Elmhurst, in July 2011. He was charged in six bank heists.
Follow Northport Patch on Facebook
