Bank robbery suspect caught

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A man robbed two banks, one in Oceanside and one in Rockville Centre, in less than a half hour last week, according to Nassau County police.

Police believe that the bank robber is Elvi Rodriguez, 32, of Valley Stream. He was arrested last Saturday afternoon in a stolen 2009 Suzuki SX4 outside a Massapequa home. The car, which belonged to an East Rockaway resident, had been stolen from the back of 12 S. Park Ave. in Rockville Centre on Friday.

Rodriguez resisted arrest, according to police, who added that they found three zolpidem pills, the generic name for Ambien, which is used for short-term insomnia treatment.

Police said that on Aug. 4 at 1:21 p.m., Rodriguez entered the Citibank at 297 Merrick Road in Rockville Centre, carrying a black drawstring bag. He gave the teller a demand note, the teller gave him an undisclosed amount of cash, and he fled. There were nine employees and one customer in the bank at the time.

At 1:40 p.m., according to police, Rodriguez entered the Roslyn Savings Bank at 3140 Long Beach Road in Oceanside, where there were six employees and one customer. He gave the teller a note, and the teller gave him an undisclosed amount of cash. He fled in a blue Ford pickup truck, which was later recovered.

Rodriguez was charged with two counts of third-degree robbery, third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest, and was arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead last Saturday. He is now being held in Nassau County jail in lieu of a $115,000 cash or bond bail. His next court appearance was scheduled for Wednesday.

Rodriguez was previously arrested in December for the second-degree assault of a peace officer. He pleaded guilty to that charge in June.