Arrest made in connection with four bank robberies

The Nassau County Robbery Squad arrested John Brooks, 58, of Springfield Gardens, in connection with a series of bank robberies that started in October of 2009. One of those banks was the Bethpage Federal Credit Union located at 613 Sunrise Highway, Lynbrook, which was held up on Dec. 16, 2009.

Brooks was apprehended in Valley Stream Mar. 4 at 11 a.m. by the Robbery Squad and Bureau of Special Operations.

As reported in the Herald last December, The Bethpage Federal Credit Union in Philips Plaza was robbed of $5,000 by a lone suspect who approached one of the tellers with a note that said he was carrying a gun and that he was demanding money. He did not produce a weapon, Lynbrook police said, but the teller gave him the money.

There were no injuries during the incident, Chief Joseph Neve said after the robbery, and the suspect fled on foot, headed southbound on Broadway.

Along with the Lynbrook heist, Brooks was charged with bank robberies that occurred at the Roslyn Savings Bank on Jericho Tpke, New Hyde Park last October; the Bethpage Federal Credit Union located at  210 Merrick Rd, Freeport in November, and the Bethpage Federal Credit Union at 131 Jericho Tpke., Mineola on Feb. 3.

Brooks was arraigned Mar. 5 in First District Court on four charges of Robbery Third Degree and two counts of Attempted Robbery Third Degree. He was also charged with two counts of Attempted Robbery Third Degree at the Bethpage Federal Credit Union in Mineola at 9:35 a.m. on Mar. 4 and at the Bethpage Federal Credit Union located at 170 Fulton Ave., Hempstead on Mar. 5.