Cops: Suspected bank robber jumps into Massapequa River

An upstate man suspected of robbing three banks with a weapon was arrested after he jumped into the Massapequa River Friday in an effort to avoid capture, police said.

Two Calverton teenagers who were with him also were arrested, police said.

Victoria Wiechow, 18, of Hillrise Court, Monroe Nash, 17, of Hill Court, and David Freeland, 22, of Bridge Street in Schenectady were charged with three counts of first-degree robbery and criminal use of a firearm.

Freeland is also charged with robbery in connection with a Washington Mutual Bank in Bethpage that was robbed June 9, police said.

All three were scheduled to be arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead on Saturday.

In less than three hours, the trio hit up three banks Friday, police said.

Around 3:28 p.m. Friday, Wiechow and Nash entered a Washington Mutual Bank in Wantagh and Nash demanded money from a teller while displaying a handgun in his waistband, police said. They received an undetermined amount of money and fled on foot to Freeland's waiting car, police said.

At 4:40 p.m., Wiechow and Nash robbed a Capital One Bank in East Meadow in the same manner, and Freeland waited in the getaway car, police said.

Wiechow and Freeland went a TD Bank in Massapequa around 5:55 p.m. and Freeland displayed the weapon to a teller, demanding money, police said.

They fled after receiving an undisclosed amount and were seen entering a car with Texas plates, which was located and stopped by officers on Lafayette Place in Massapequa, police said.

Freeland fled and jumped into the Massapequa River at the end of Lafayette Place, but officers were able to lift him out of the canal and arrested him without further incident.

By SOPHIA CHANG
Posted Wednesday, July 1, 2009

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