Man Robs 2 Midtown Banks Within 20 Minutes, Police Say

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — The NYPD are trying to identify a bank robber who knocked over two Midtown banks within 20 minutes on Thursday, police said.

The robber's mini crime spree was only partially successful. After getting stuffed during his first robbery attempt, the wanted criminal took the saying "if at first you don't succeed, try again" to heart and proceeded to rob a bank just a few blocks away, police said.

Just before 2 p.m. the robber walked into an Investors Bank branch on the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 29th Street and slipped a note to a bank teller demanding money, police said. The teller ignored the man's request, forcing him to flee the bank on foot, police said.

About 20 minutes later the man entered a TD Bank branch on Sixth Avenue between West 31st and 32nd streets and pulled the same scheme, police said. This time, a bank teller handed him $600 cash, police said.

The suspect is described as a man in his 30s standing about 5-foot-7 and weighing about 145 pounds, police said. The man was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and black pants, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Photo by NYPD