FAIRFIELD -- In another chapter of dumb criminal classics, a man and a teen from Bridgeport allegedly thought they could rob a bank the same way people order take-out food.
Police said a 27-year-old and a 16-year-old called People's United Bank on Stratfield Road about 10 minutes before they came to collect their order Tuesday afternoon. They asked for $100,000 in large bills with no dye packs inside the bag, police said.
"You can't make this stuff up," said Sgt. James Perez, Fairfield police spokesman. "They literally called the bank and said to have the bag of money ready on the floor because they're coming to rob the place. And then they actually show up as the police were rolling in. I would classify these individuals as, `Not-too-bright.' They should have spent time in school instead of trying to rob a bank."
The 27-year-old was identified as Albert Bailey, of West Taft Avenue. Bailey was held without bond to be turned over to the Department of Correction because he was on probation for robbing a People's bank in Bridgeport in 2003, according to police and court records.
Bailey was caught the same day of his offense that time, too, and sentenced to seven years in jail, according to state Judicial Branch records.
The 16-year-old was not identified because of his age.
"They threatened to create `a blood bath' on their phone call to the bank," said Fairfield police Lt. Thomas Mrozek. However, he said, the suspects did not use a weapon.
Apparently, Bailey waited in a car parked in a nearby condominium complex lot while the 16-year-old swiped the cash bag and walked out with an undetermined amount of cash.
Fairfield Officer Michael Guilfoyle, a former Bridgeport Bluefish pitcher, spotted the youth -- he knew what he looked like, thanks to a description from the bank -- trying to get into the car.
Guilfoyle ran over, gun drawn, and stopped the suspects before they could leave the parking lot, Mrozek said.
Both robbery suspects were charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree threatening. The 16-year-old was sent to an area juvenile jail, police said.
Perez said he was pleased and proud that a bank security seminar he held about a month ago appears to be reaping good results.
Several representatives from People's -- which has seven branches in Fairfield -- were among more than 18 bank companies represented there and apparently took seriously the seminar's instruction on good and bad ways to report information to police, he said
A bank employee called police after the youths telephoned, and stayed on the phone to give officers updates as the robbery occurred, Perez said, crediting the bank with giving police good descriptions and "plenty of forewarning."
The robbers got what they ordered, he said, but "didn't expect police to be in the take-out line."
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