Masked Man Robs Westport Bank; Officers Injured in Crash

A man wearing a mask and displaying a gun robbed a TD Banknorth branch in Westport, Conn. late Friday (Feb. 9, 2007), police said.

The robbery at the branch at 1111 Post Road East at the corner of Morningside Drive North occurred at 5:35 p.m., according to a time code on a security photo of the suspect released later by police.

A police car responding to the robbery was involved in a crash not far away at Post Road East near Maple Avenue North. The two officers were transported to Norwalk Hospital for treatment of minor injuries and later released.

Officers Kevin Smith and Sereniti Dobson were making a U-turn to head to respond to the robbery when a woman driving a Jetta also traveling eastbound slammed into the cruiser.

Firefighters had to extracate Smith from the vehicle. The woman, a 21-year-old Fairfield resident, refused medical attention.

A police broadcast described the suspect as a fair-skinned white male, about 5-foot-5 or 5-foot-6, wearing a blue baseball cap and glasses who had a thick mustache under a rubbery mask. A later police press release said he may have been Hispanic.

The broadcast said he escaped with about $9,800 in a black bag. Police were not sure whether he left on foot or in a vehicle.

In the news release, Lt. David Kassay said police received a 911 call from the bank at 5:37 p.m.

Responding police officers were told the suspect displayed a handgun, demanded money from the teller, and then left the bank. No vehicle was seen in the area, Kassay said.

The suspect gave the teller a dark bag to fill with money, he said.

An audit will be conducted by bank personnel to determine the exact loss, according to the release.

The robbery investigation is being conducted by the Westport Police Department Detective Bureau. Anyone with information regarding the suspect or possible vehicle can contact the detective bureau at (203)341-6080.