A robbery at a Key Bank branch in Chester sent some of the surrounding schools into lockdown mode yesterday as police and K-9 units searched for a suspect who may be armed.

The Chester Academy, the Chester Elementary School and Chester's BOCES Maple Avenue branch were all locked down in 'lockout' mode, meaning that students can't be released to parents until police tell school officials that a suspect has been caught.

Police say that a suspect, described as a black male wearing all black clothing and 5 feet, 8 inches tall displayed what appeared to be a handgun to a teller at the Brookside Avenue branch at around 1:15 p.m.

School officials were told that they could begin releasing students to their parents at 3:10 p.m. even though a suspect was not caught.

Police are asking anyone with information to call them at 845-469-4111.