GUILDERLAND — An attempted bank robbery last Thursday has left one bank employee shaken, yet unharmed, and several police agencies scrambling for clues to find a gunman.

A $5,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the gunman’s arrest.

Around 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 31, a Bank of America employee was going to work at 1791 Western Ave., and, as she backed into her parking spot behind the building, an unidentified 5 foot, 7 inch white male approached her vehicle on foot, according to Guilderland Deputy Police Chief Carol Lawlor.

The woman’s name is being withheld by police.
The man wore a denim shirt and a rubber "Halloween-type mask" and broke the employee’s driver’s-side window, after which, she put the car into drive and began to leave the scene, Lawlor said. While the woman proceeded to drive away, the masked man fired one shot, which entered through her broken driver’s-side window and exited through the passenger-side window, causing it to shatter as she drove off, said Lawlor.

The Guilderland Police are not releasing the type of mask used or what caliber of gun was fired, although Lawlor did confirm for The Enterprise yesterday that the weapon used was a pistol.
"I understand it was just the one shot," said Lawlor.

The woman was not hurt during the attempted robbery. It is unknown how the gunman fled the scene, she said.

A report authorized by Guilderland’s police chief, James Murley, listed the potential charges against the suspect as second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted robbery, both felonies, and reckless endangerment.

The bank was closed down for the day and then roped off as a crime scene. Several enforcement agencies collaborated during the investigation, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Guilderland Police, the Albany County Sheriff’s Department, the State Police, and University of Albany trained dogs.

A State Police helicopter flew overhead Thursday morning in search of the suspect while The Enterprise took photographs of the crime scene.
"It’s been a joint effort with the different agencies. They have given us a lot of assistance throughout this ongoing investigation," Lawlor said. "We’ve increased our awareness in town and our officers are paying extra attention to areas of concern."

Last Friday, a donor offered a $2,500 reward for any information leading to the apprehension or arrest of the man responsible for the incident. Yesterday, the reward was increased to $5,000.

The donor wishes to remain anonymous, Lawlor said.

Roadside checkpoints
On Friday, the morning after the attempted robbery, Guilderland Police, the Albany County Sheriff’s Department, and State Troopers conducted what police termed an "informational road check" in the area near the Bank of America on Western Avenue, near Gipp Road.
"It was productive," Lawlor told The Enterprise. "It was done in case anyone might have seen anything because sometimes people witness things they are not even aware of."

Checkpoints were made on busy Western Avenue during the morning commute, roughly around the same hours the attempted robbery took place. People were asked to slow down or pull over and asked if they regularly drive past the bank at that time, and, if they do, they were asked if they noticed anything unusual the day before.
Lawlor would not specify what information was collected through the roadside interviews, but repeatedly said that the results were "very productive."
The Guilderland Police Department is encouraging anyone with information regarding the incident, "no matter how insignificant it appears," to contact the police at 356-1501. All the information, police say, will be kept in strict confidence.