Deer Park man charged with 4 bank robberies

A Deer Park man has been arrested and charged with committing four robberies at three different banks dating to September after investigators found the stolen cash at his home, authorities said.

Edward Waller, 42, faces three counts of first-degree robbery and one count of third-degree robbery in connection with what Suffolk County police described as a series of "pattern" robberies.

Waller pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip, with bond set at $300,000 and bail at $100,000. He is due back in court on Monday.

Police said Waller, who was arrested at 12:21 p.m. Wednesday, robbed the New York Commercial Bank in Deer Park on Sept. 5 and again on Oct. 11. He also robbed the TD Bank branch in North Babylon on Oct. 27 and the TD Bank in Lake Ronkonkoma on Nov. 10, police said. Police did not immediately say what linked Waller to the four robberies.

Police said that during the Sept. 5 robbery at the New York Commercial Bank, on Grand Boulevard, Waller displayed a gun. During the robbery at the TD Bank on Deer Park Avenue in Deer Park, police said Waller also had a gun.

No one was injured in the robberies.

Found in his home when a search warrant was executed were a BB gun, cash stolen from the banks, and computers from which notes used in the robberies were generated, prosecutors said.

"We would like to see all of the evidence before making a further comment," said Waller's lawyer Joe Cozzo of Central Islip. His client's "family is, of course, very upset," Cozzo said, "however they are in good spirits, as they know Mr. Waller to be a great husband and terrific father" of three.