Queens Chase bank robbery suspect has stolen $17K from 6 branches: NYPD

Authorities say the same man who has robbed a handful of Chase banks in Queens over the past two months struck again on Tuesday, stealing $5,000 from a branch in Maspeth.

The suspect has now stolen more than $17,000 from six Chase branches scattered around Queens, the NYPD said. As he has done before, the man casually walked up to a bank employee on Tuesday, passed a note demanding money, and was handed the cash, police said.

A separate bank robbery in Midtown Manhattan at a Capital One branch was also reported that day, in which the suspect also passed the teller a note, and was handed cash, authorities said.

Authorities have released an updated surveillance photo of the suspect from the Dec. 27 robbery at the Chase bank in Queens.

In the photo, the suspect can be seen standing in front of the teller’s thick glass window at the Maspeth branch at 54-12 48th St. He is described as about 30 years old, 6 foot 5 and 200 pounds. He was wearing a white sweater with dark stripes, black jeans and black sneakers, with a black backpack slung over one shoulder.

All six robberies have been remarkably similar since the first reported incident on Sept. 30. The suspect has only stolen from Chase branches in Queens, usually in somewhat remote locations. He always enters between 2 and 4 p.m., and always passes a note demanding money.

Each time, the teller has complied, handing over between $1,000 and $5,000 cash, police said. The suspect has not shown a weapon or threatened that he was carrying one.

Chase spokesman Paul Hartwick told Metro the bank is “working closely with law enforcement related to these incidents and our focus is on the safety of our customers and employees.”

The suspect’s strategy is similar to nearly a dozen other would-be bank robbers in New York City over the last several months, although none of them has been as successful.

Also on Tuesday, a Capital One bank in Manhattan was robbed, police said. At about 4:30 p.m., the suspect entered the branch at 470 Park Ave. South, and slid the teller a note demanding money. He was handed an undetermined amound of cash, then fled. The suspect is described as 50 to 60 years old, about 6 feet tall with a slim build. He had on a black baseball cap, a gray hooded coat, light colored pants and brown shoes.

Anyone with information about about either suspects should call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-8477, or for Spanish 888-577-4782. Tips can also be submitted at the Crime Stoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting to 274637, then entering TIP57. All calls are confidential.