Astoria Bank Robber Arrested After Fall From N/W Platform: Report

ASTORIA, QUEENS — An Astoria bank robber got an unexpected windfall on Saturday when he fell from an elevated subway platform while trying to escape the police, according to a news report.

Michael Stathis walked into Santander Bank at 37th Street and Broadway about 12:30 p.m., handed an employee a note demanding money, then fled with an unknown amount of cash to a nearby N/W subway station, according to an NYPD spokesperson and a New York Post report.

As police officers chased Stathis down the platform, he tried to escape by climbing down a pole but instead fell onto the pavement and hit his head, the Post reported.

Police charged Stathis, 34, of Astoria, with robbery and criminal possession of stolen property, an NYPD spokesperson said Monday.