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A lot of robbers use force. This one used the Force.

A bandit decked out in a Darth Vader costume strolled into a Long Island bank yesterday - and walked out with a wad of cash.

The villain looked ready for Halloween, wearing the "Star Wars" scoundrel's signature mask and sweeping black cape.

He lost some authenticity points for a pair of camouflage pants.

The get-up struck one customer as so funny that he started joshing with the Darth Robber after he strode into the Chase bank in Setauket.

"The customer thought it might have been a joke, and not a serious attempt at a robbery," said Suffolk County police Detective Sgt. William Lamb.

But Darth wasn't kidding - and he wasn't going to be stopped by a non-Jedi Knight.

He won a "shoving match" against the incredulous customer before using his piece to order him to the floor, Lamb said.

And his weapon was no joke. He was carrying a pistol instead of a lightsaber.

Cops released a surveillance camera image yesterday showing Darth at the teller counter, loading bills into a bag, while the customer cowers on the floor.

The fake Darth made a quick-footed getaway, and the bank was still checking its drawers late yesterday to figure out how large his take was, Lamb said.

It was the second recent off-the-wall bank robbery. On Wednesday, NYPD cops arrested a man dubbed the "Bouquet Bandit," saying he brought flowers and potted plants into banks he robbed.

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