By Nathan Duke
Chrystie Almestica, 16, of Astoria, was arrested Friday on charges of robbing the First Central Savings bank on Ditmars Boulevard by handing a teller a written note and then fleeing with $3,090, a spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. She allegedly attempted to rob a Queens County Savings Bank on Ditmars Boulevard earlier that day by handing a teller a note which read: “Is your job worth your life?” police said. Almestica entered a plea of not guilty at her arraignment Saturday, her Legal Aid lawyer said. Police said they were still searching for two men believed to be involved in the heist. Almestica entered First Central around 12:45 p.m. and passed a note to a teller demanding money, police said. The girl ran out of the bank and handed the money to an unknown man outside the bank who fled the scene, police said.A teller followed the girl out of the bank and enlisted the help of a nearby Sprint store manager who would only identify himself as John. The two men pursued the suspect, who was ahead of them by nearly one block, John said.”I yelled, 'Freeze, police!' and she stopped,” he said. “I told her to get on her knees, put her hands behind her head and then lay on her stomach, and she did.”John said the girl denied taking part in the robbery as he and the bank teller walked her back to the bank. He said she told police at the scene that she had been threatened by two men, who forced her to take part in the heist.In published reports, Almestica's lawyer said the defendant was coerced. But he said he would not comment on pending litigation during a later phone interview. Almestica, who is a student at the Academy of American Studies in Astoria, was charged with robbery and attempted robbery in two separate incidents at her arraignment before Queens Criminal Court Judge James Griffin, who set the defendant's bail at $5,000, a DA spokeswoman said. Almestica, who could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted, will return to court Jan. 19, she said.The spokeswoman said no other arrests have been made in the incident and the investigation was ongoing. A neighbor of Almestica's who declined to give his name said he found news of the robbery shocking.”I find it hard to believe,” he said. “She's a sweet girl.”David Greene contributed to this story. Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
