By Brian Zanzonico
Minutes before 1 p.m. on Jan. 11, Clarence Byrd, 42, of Carnegie Avenue walked into Citibank at 1060 Hempstead Turnpike, approached the teller in the first window and passed her a note demanding money, Robbery Squad Detective Sgt. John Giambrone said. The teller refused to comply, left her station and walked into the assistant manager's office nearby.
Byrd then left the bank, but not before another employee, who saw him pass the note, started to follow. A retired NYPD police officer, 71-year-old Angelo Lomonaco, realized what was going on and identified himself to the employee. At that point, another city cop came forward, and the three got into Lomonaco's car and tailed Byrd, catching up to him a block later. Lomonaco and the other officer, whom Nassau County police did not identify but who the Herald learned works in Brooklyn's 79th Precinct, held Byrd until 5th Precinct police arrived and arrested him.
Byrd surrendered without incident, but an eyewitness said he overheard him arguing, "But I didn't take any money" before he was put into a squad car. Byrd did not have a weapon, and none of the 15 people who were in the bank at the time -- eight employees and seven customers - was injured.
Lomonaco, who was assigned for years to the 26th Precinct in upper Manhattan, could not be reached for comment.
Giambrone did not say whether the teller did the right thing by denying Byrd's demand, since protocol for dealing with robbers is different from bank to bank. "Tellers are guided by bank policy," Giambrone explained. "Each bank instructs their tellers to do different things, and in this case the suspect appeared intoxicated and disheveled and the teller didn't feel threatened."
Calls to Citibank's headquarters in Manhattan were not returned.
Byrd, who Giambrone said has an extensive arrest record, comprising mostly assault and drug offenses, was charged with third-degree attempted robbery and arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead on Jan. 12.
In 2003, Citibank was robbed by a transgender Queens man who police said went on a robbery spree at area banks to obtain money to replenish hormonal medication to maintain his feminine physique.
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