Heroin-habit bank robberies a familiar story to cops

A couple addicted to heroin who resorted to bank heists to support their habit is a "familiar story" seen in the case files of Nassau County's Robbery Squad, a commanding officer said yesterday.

Police said David Graf, 29, and Lauren Becker, 26, netted about $10,000 in the robberies using most of the cash to buy heroin. Graf, of 2202 Walsall St., Seaford, and Becker, of 59 Hamlet Dr., Commack, were arraigned yesterday on charges they robbed several banks across Nassau County over a two-week period.

Suffering from withdrawal, Graf and Becker were treated at Nassau University Medical Center, where Becker was arraigned. Information on the arraignment wasn't available yesterday.

Graf, who was treated at the hospital and released, was ordered held without bail after his arraignment in District Court in Hempstead.

Det. Sgt. John Giambrone said drug addicts often rob banks to fund their habit.

"A familiar story in the robbery squad," said Giambrone, the squad's commander. "They were addicted to heroin and were robbing banks to support that habit."

The two were arrested Monday. Graf was charged with third-degree robbery in six bank heists since March 21 in East Meadow, Plainview, Albertson, Massapequa, Cedarhurst and Wantagh since March 21. He was also charged with attempted robbery of a Levittown bank March 21.

In an unrelated case, Graf, an unemployed electrician, was charged with multiple counts of second-degree forgery, stemming from theft of his 90-year-old grandmother's personal checks. More than $1,200 was cashed from the stolen checks.

Becker was charged with third-degree robbery in two robberies, the banks in Plainview and Massapequa, as well as the Levittown attempt.

No relatives for Graf or Becker could be reached yesterday.

In the robberies, police said Graf would enter a bank without a weapon but with a note demanding cash. He would then meet Becker, and the two would drive off in a white Mitsubishi Eclipse. They would ditch the car and ride the Long Island Rail Road to find a place to lie low, police said.

After each robbery, they would retrieve the car later. Their return to the car Monday led to the couple's arrest. Investigators set up surveillance of the white car when a Bellmore resident called police to complain about the car left for days in a two-hour parking spot. When Graf returned for it, he was arrested. Police subsequently apprehended Becker at a Copiague hotel, where the couple had been staying.

"They were committing the robberies, dumping the vehicle somewhere and getting on a train and going to various locations," he said.

The county has had 16 bank robberies so far this year. Of those, 12 have been solved.

There were 17 bank robberies during the same period in 2008, when the county reached a record of 85 for the year.

By MICHAEL FRAZIER
Posted Thursday, April 9, 2009

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