Sgt. Corbin Meleen of the Westfield Police Department said several leads were being investigated regarding the hold up of the East Main Street Community Bank. The department released images taken from surveillance video, prompting a flood of tips and information from the public.

According to police, a man entered the Westfield Community Bank branch Friday around 3 p.m. and handed a teller a “threatening note demanding money.” The teller complied, and the suspect — described as a Black male wearing a black North Face jacket, green pants, black sneakers, white baseball cap and a black face mask — fled the bank south on Union Street.

Meleen said the note referenced a weapon, though none was displayed during the hold up. No injuries were reported.

Submitted photo The Blasdell Police Department said it was looking to identify this man, described as being about 6 feet tall with average build.

It was through the bevy of tips and comments that Westfield police learned of another robbery in Blasdell, a village south of Buffalo. The Blasdell Police Department on Friday morning released still images of the suspect, who appears to be wearing a similar white baseball cap and black North Face jacket.

Blasdell police, in a message posted to Facebook, did not specify a bank robbery, but said it was looking for a Black male about 6 feet tall with average build. The department did not return a call Monday for comment.

“We do have some leads on who the individual may be, and we’re still investigating working with other agencies,” said Meleen, who noted Friday’s incident is not believed to be tied in any way to the February 2019 robbery of the former Five Star Bank in Lakewood, the last such unsolved hold up reported in the county.

“We believe it’s someone not from the area,” Meleen said.

He said it’s also likely the suspect may be tied to a string of bank robberies this year in different states. “We believe he’s experienced,” Meleen said. “He didn’t park in the vicinity of the bank where there are several cameras in that area. We’re unsure if he had a driver or if somebody else was involved. We have evidence from other states that he might be involved in others.”

Meleen thanked the community for the outpour of information. “The public has assisted us very well,” he said, noting that some of the comments and tips were pertinent in the department’s ongoing investigation.

Other agencies, including the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, county District Attorney’s Office and FBI, were assisting.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Westfield Police Department at 716-326-3375 or by email at meleenc@westfieldpd.com

To reach Blasdell police, call 716-822-1921.