By Marley Seaman
Nassau County police say that Hempstead residents Paul Henry and Erwin Jackson, and Akeem Robinson of Westbury, were part of a group preparing to rob the Bank of America at 2300 Grand Ave. at 9:16 a.m. that morning. When they spotted a pair of undercover police officers at the bank, they drove away. A short chase ensued, and ended when the suspects' car crashed into a tree on Marion Place.
According to police, Henry then got out of the car and pointed a .38-caliber revolver at the officers, who opened fire. At least six shots were fired on the residential street, but no one was wounded.
The five men ran off, but Henry and Robinson were soon caught on nearby side streets. The escape of the other three suspects, however, resulted in a large-scale search involving snipers and an aerial unit in a helicopter. Side streets along Grand Avenue were blocked off for hours as the search continued.
Jackson was arrested as he left his home in Hempstead at 5:20 a.m. on Nov. 22. Officers said that Henry, 57, and Jackson, 46, are significantly older than the other suspects, and may have led a skilled and efficient robbery group that was involved in as many as eight other crimes.
"[Investigators] believe that Paul Henry and Erwin Jackson ... seem to be the ones that are training, in a sense, the younger of the three," said First Precinct Officer Jean DeLuca.
"They were very quick," DeLuca added. "They weren't in a bank longer than a minute, a minute and a half, and they were very well trained. Everyone had a job, and they executed it very well."
All three men were charged with first-degree attempted robbery for the events of Nov. 21. They were also charged with participating in the Oct. 1 robbery of the Majestic Cruise casino ship as it prepared to set sail in Freeport. Henry and Jackson were charged with first-degree robbery for an armed theft at a Citibank in Westbury.
Jackson was also charged with first-degree robbery for a theft at the Bethpage Federal Credit Union in Hempstead on July 23, and the Nov. 13 robbery of the Commerce Bank in Westbury. Henry was additionally charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
Both of the remaining suspects, who have not been identified by name, are said to be black men in their early 20s.
The descriptions of the suspects leave open the possibility that others were involved. "They're not sure if it's just these five, or if there may be another one or two," DeLuca said. "It's a possibility, and we're certainly investigating that."
Meanwhile, life has not yet returned to normal for Marion Place neighbors. "It's disconcerting, obviously, that this would happen right outside my house," said one resident who asked that her name not be used. She added that she was unable to leave her home that day because of the investigation and a police blockade.
"You have to wonder what's happening to the town of Baldwin," she continued. "There have been a couple of incidents recently, and it just makes you a bit more nervous about how safe you are in your own home."
Comments about this story? MSeaman@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
