Duo charged in bank robbery spree

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After a month-long bank-robbing spree in five Nassau County and as many as three Suffolk County communities, the Nassau and Suffolk county police departments report the arrest of two men they allege are responsible at a Melville apartment complex on Jan. 29.

According to police, Adam Baron, 18, and Jaime Ramirez, 25, both of North Drive in Melville, have robbed as many as six banks in Nassau County and three in Suffolk County since Dec. 26. This is Baron’s first alleged offense, but Ramirez was arrested and charged with the armed robbery of a jewelry store in 2008, police said.

“As you know, there’s been a rash of bank robberies,” said County Executive Ed Mangano at a Jan. 30 news conference. “In January alone, there’s been 11 bank robberies. With today’s announcement of the arrest of these individuals, we close out 10 of 11 bank robberies.”

Baron is charged with five counts of second-degree robbery and one count of second-degree attempted robbery, while Ramirez faces charges of two counts of second-degree robbery, third-degree robbery and second-degree attempted robbery. The pair allegedly robbed banks and credit unions in Bellmore, Merrick, Rockville Centre, Westbury, Plainview and Farmingdale, police said.

The arrest was a joint effort by Nassau and Suffolk police, who shared intelligence to apprehend the two suspects. After receiving a tip, Suffolk County officers made the arrest outside the pair’s apartment complex, after the two drove up in a white rented U-Haul pickup truck with Arizona plates, which was eight days overdue for return. Detective Sgt. John Giambrone, who heads the Nassau Robbery Squad, said he believes the crimes were drug-related, although no drugs were found on either suspect during the arrest.

Police said that once the pair reached a bank, the driver would serve as lookout while the other entered the bank, presented a demand note, took the money, and left the bank on foot. In each case, the notes used had the exact same wording, and although a gun was mentioned, police found no weapons during the duo’s arrest.

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