Yeah, it’s that time of year--perhaps it’s the season’s constant “Scary Movie” reruns that prompted this (kind-of) thief’s bright idea: a man wearing a Halloween "Scream" movie mask attempted a hold-up and robbery on New York's Long Island. A bank? Heck, no—try a doughnut shop, and a Dunkin' Donuts employee who proved twice as smart as the “scary” robber.
Nassau County area, New York, police claim the thief simply walked into a Dunkin' Donuts doughnut store in Farmingdale, NY—right before the midnight hour, in line with his Halloween costumer-- carrying a weapon that didn’t quite match the outfit. Where he screwed up fell more in line with his costume: apparently no one told the thief about blades like a scythe or axe—so his Halloween costume didn’t quite pass muster when he was instead swinging around a shiny, silver handgun. Well, it was that—and his demands for cash—that were a dead giveaway.
One doughnut store employee caught on that the “Scream” bandit was no “trick-or treater”—and also wasn’t too scared of the frightful costume. A Dunkin' Donuts employee, washing trays at the time of the attempted robbery, proved twice as intelligent as the robber: the doughnut store employee followed the mask-wearing fool and turned water on the thief, which in turn hit the mask with good aim. On par with the mockery in “Scary Movie” stars, apparently all it takes to fight that “Scream” mask is a good hose. The (would-be) thief fled the doughnut shop, without a dime.
Police apparently still don’t have a clue—they’re asking anyone with related info to call Nassau County Crime Stoppers in New York at 800-244-TIPS with anonymous or confidential police tips. If you’ve got a tip, the Dunkin' Donuts visitor been dubbed the “Scream Bandit”.
In July, a New York area bank robber apparently mixed up his holidays--dressing as the "Star Wars" movie character Darth Vader with Halloween nowhere near. To his thieving credit, he at least chose a more lucrative location—despite his costume, that robber was in fact was successful in making off with an undetermined amount of cash from a Long Island Chase Bank branch.