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Off-duty police officer thwarts attempted bank robbery

BOSTON — Boston police are investigating an attempted bank robbery that was quickly thwarted by an off-duty officer.

That officer was working a detail inside the bank when she saw what was going on and jumped into action.

The suspect, 51-year-old Richard Cassano, attempted to rob the City of Boston Credit Union in West Roxbury just before 4 p.m. Thursday.

"I'm really surprised because things like that don't happen around here very often. But she was there and she stopped it before anything bad could happens that's great,” West Roxbury resident Tim Foley said.

Police say Cassano was wearing a mask and carrying a bag. He told the officer to hand over her gun, but she declined and grabbed his bag.

After that, Cassano allegedly ran toward Spring Street then jumping into a red sedan, but he was caught a short time later.

Police said the car he was seen in was stolen, and Cassano did not have a valid drivers license.

He faces charges of attempt to commit a crime, attempted robbery, receiving stolen property, and operating without a license.

Cassano had been on parole for the same crime, an attempted bank robbery with a mask, when he was arrested for Thursday's attempted robbery. Police say he has an extremely long record that goes back several years, and he'll be back in a courtroom Friday afternoon for his arraignment.