Gunman with disguise robs Tupper Lake bank

TUPPER LAKE — An armed robber forced customers to the floor of a Community Bank on Friday and demanded money from tellers, authorities said.

The culprit, reportedly armed with a handgun, walked into the branch at 314 Hosley Ave. about noon and demanded money from a teller. The robber left the bank with an unspecified amount of money.

Authorities said they were looking for a white male, about 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds. The suspect was wearing sunglasses, a tan Carhartt jacket, blue jeans, a baseball cap and a fake mustache and beard. He reportedly left in a vehicle.

Several roadblocks went up around Tupper Lake shortly after the robbery. St. Lawrence County sheriff's deputies were called to assist state police at a checkpoint at Sevey's Corners, at routes 56 and 3 in the town of Colton. A state police helicopter was being used to search for the suspect. Tupper Lake village police are assisting in the investigation.

The Sunmount Developmental Disabilities Services campus, across the street from the bank, also was placed on lockdown.

Franklin County District Attorney Derek P. Champagne said it's too early to tell if the Tupper Lake robbery is connected to three bank robberies over the past few years in Canton. No arrests have been made in the Canton bank robberies.

The most recent robbery occurred in January when a suspect — described by police as a thin white male, with a brown or gray goatee, about 5 feet, 7 inches tall and in his early to mid-40s — stole $221,500 from the SeaComm Federal Credit Union at 101 E. Main St.

Police and the bank are offering $35,000 for information leading to the suspect's arrest.