Suspicious Package, Bank Robbery and Perp Search in 104th Precinct

By Conor Greene

Suspicious Package Proves to be Empty Threat

A suspicious package found in front of the Chase Bank on Grand Avenue last Friday turned out to be an empty abandoned bag after the bomb squad investigated.

Officers responded to the bank, located at the corner of Hamilton and Grand avenues in Maspeth, at 4:28 a.m. last Friday after receiving a call of a suspicious package. Officers found a black attaché bag sitting on the sidewalk in front of the bank. They established a safe zone as a supervisor and the NYPD bomb squad and Emergency Services Unit headed to the scene.

An evacuation plan was put into place in case the situation was deemed dangerous. However, an investigation by the bomb squad determined that it was just an empty bag.

Valley National Bank Heist Nets $11K

A suspect made off with about $11,000 after holding up the Valley National Bank on Grand Avenue in Maspeth last Saturday morning.

A man, described by witnesses as a black male wearing a dark jacket and red hat, entered the bank at 64-01 Grand Avenue at about 11:40 a.m. He displayed a gun and demanded that tellers hand over money. He then fled the scene on foot, according to police.

A level-one mobilization was called and a crime scene established as officers from the 104th Precinct conducted a grid search of the surrounding area. Despite assistance from an NYPD aviation unit, the suspect remains at large.

The incident is still being investigated by the NYPD Major Case Joint Robbery Task Force and the 104th Precinct detective squad.

Suspect Flees During Vehicle Stop

A suspect escaped from police as he was being detained during a motor vehicle stop in Glendale, leading to a huge search that ended in his arrest.

Officers from the 104th Precinct stopped a black Acura at 8:36 p.m. Sunday night at the corner of 68th Street and Cooper Avenue because of its tinted windows. During the stop, the officers became suspicious and asked the three occupants to get out of the vehicle.

As the officers were patting down one of the men, the suspect informed him that he was on parole. The officer noticed a large bulge in the man’s waistband and began to handcuff him, at which point the suspect pulled away, threw a bag of cocaine to the side and fled from the scene. The officer immediately took the other two individuals into custody and called for backup.

A level-one mobilization was called and a grid search was conducted, but officers were unable to locate the suspect. Later that evening, however, the investigation led police to 70-11 65th Place, where the man was located. He was identified as 32-year-old Noel Hernandez.

The other two individuals who remained at the scene were identified by police as Nicholas Condos, 20, of Glendale and Violetta Marashaj, 17, of Hopewell Junction.