By Sari Zeidler
D'Angio and Bentvena went to a TD Bank branch at 12:30 p.m., where D'Angio gave the teller a note that said he had a gun and demanded money, while Bentvena waited outside in a black Ford Mustang, according to police. The teller gave D'Angio an undisclosed amount of currency, police said, and the men fled east on Merrick Road.
As they were making their escape, a dye pack exploded inside the car at Hancock Place and West Merrick Road, according to a police report, and one of the men threw the dye pack and money out the car window in his coat. Detectives later found the coat, and arrested D'Angio and Bentvena at their homes.
Both were charged with first-degree robbery. Bentvena was also charged with taking part in two bank robberies earlier this month. He faces charges of first-degree robbery, first-degree criminal use of a firearm and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon for the robbery of a Washington Mutual bank in Hewlett on April 2, and first-degree robbery for an incident at an HSBC branch in Cedarhurst on April 6.
The men were scheduled to be arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead on April 21.
Comments about this story? SZeidler@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
