The drive-through visitor is suspected of another robbery attempt.
By CHRIS TISCH
Published November 27, 2003
LARGO - Police said it was either Joseph P. Martin's big mouth or his lousy plan that got him caught. Or perhaps a little of both.
At 4:22 p.m. Tuesday, Martin pedaled his bicycle up to the drive-through window of First National Bank, 705 Eighth Ave. SW, police said. He held a note up to the window that, in red ink, said: "Bomb. No dye packs. Large bills."
Police said Martin told the tellers to hurry. Meanwhile, he squeezed an object, implying it was a detonator.
The bank was closed for the day, though, so the tellers knew he couldn't get inside and hurt them. They refused to give him any cash, police said.
"There was no way he could come in," said Largo police Detective Joe Coyle.
Martin pedaled away.
Not long after, police received a tip from someone who said Martin had been bragging about robbing banks. Detectives found Martin in the 1000 block of 10th Avenue SW and arrested him. Coyle said he had been living a transient life.
"He's got a drug problem," Coyle said.
Detectives also discovered that Martin had a handgun, though he had not used the weapon during his stickup.
"That's the weird thing," Coyle said.
Martin was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on charges of attempted bank robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon. Martin has been convicted of forging checks and possessing drugs.
Clearwater police Detective Steve Bohling also is involved in the investigation because he suspects Martin of robbing the SouthTrust bank at 1465 Fort Harrison Ave. S on Nov. 19. The method of that robbery was similar to the Largo holdup Tuesday.
Martin was being held at the county jail Wednesday in lieu of $120,000 bail.
Anyone with information on the SouthTrust robber can call Bohling at 562-4398.
