Police Investigating Bank Robbery on Stratfield Road

Police this afternoon were investigating a bank robbery on Stratfield Road.

Police said a man wearing a black face mask entered People's Bank at 1237 Stratfield Road about 2 p.m., handed a teller a note demanding money and then fled as the passenger in a older-model, red pickup truck. The robber did not display a weapon and no one was injured, police said.

The robber and getaway driver were last seen on Brooklawn Avenue heading into Bridgeport, and witnesses reported seeing smoke coming from the pickup truck, which could mean that the dye pack placed inside the bag of stolen money had exploded, police said.

"The dye pack might have been activated. We're not sure," said Police Sgt. James Perez, a department spokesman. "When a dye pack explodes, there is some smoke, and the dye can look like smoke. When it explodes, that can very easily mimic smoke."

Perez added, however, that the smoke seen by witnesses may have just been due to a bad exhaust system on the pickup truck.

Perez said the robber got money from the teller but not the bank's vault.

Employees in People's Bank on Stratfield Road, which was robbed less than two weeks ago, were shaken up by this afternoon's robbery, Perez said.

"Our Detective Division is out there and has been out there canvassing the area and interviewing employees and any witnesses they can find," Perez said about 5:45 p.m.