Business Booming for Bronx Bank Robbers

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 25- With unemployment in the borough once again at record levels, a handful of individuals have been robbing banks at an alarming rate--keeping themselves and cops extremely busy with no less than 21 robberies or attempts since January.

In the latest incident a gunman entered the Capital One Bank at 725 Co-op City Boulevard at Just before 10 a.m., on June 16. The suspect fled with an unknown amount of cash. The NYPD has not released any information pertaining to this case.

In the other recent cases, it was just after 10 a.m. on June 14, when a man entered the Bank of America branch located at 2198 White Plains Road. The suspect passed the teller a note, demanding cash before fleeing.

Police described that suspect as a male Black, 5 foot 8, with a medium build. The perpetrator was reported to be wearing army-style shorts and hat.

Less than an hour earlier a man entered the HSBC Bank located at 3478 Boston Road. The suspect passed the teller a note demanded cash, but apparently fled empty handed.

That suspect was described as a male Black wearing a fishing hat.

On Wednesday, June 13, police were called to the Banco Popular at 752 E. Tremont Avenue, after a man held up the bank at gunpoint.

A source close to the investigation stated at the time that the suspect was possibly wanted for another recent robbery at the same bank. That suspect was described as a male Black in his 20's, 6-feet tall, wearing a black pea-coat, black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.

On June 12, a man robbed the Capital One Bank at 19 E. Mt. Eden Avenue. That suspect was described as a heavy-set male Black, weighing 220 pounds, wearing a purple shirt and hat.

Back on June 8, a man entered the Chase Bank, located at 360 E. 149 Street, passed the teller a note and fled with an unknown amount of cash. This suspect was described as a Black male, 5' 5'' with a slim build.

A Baychester CitiBank was robbed on June 7. Police were called to 3955 Baychester Avenue at 9:30 a.m., that suspect was only described as a male Black, dressed in black.

On May 30, police once again were called to Capital One on Co-op City Boulevard, when two suspects, only described as male Black's, stole $3000 in US currency.

On May 18, police were again called to the Banco Popular on E. Tremont Avenue, after a hold-up. The gunman fled with an undetermined amount of cash.

On May 16, a robbery was reported at the Emigrant Savings Bank at 101 E. 170 Street. The perpetrator was described as a male Hispanic wearing a black shirt.

On May 14 a man robbed the HSBC Bank on W. 235 Street in Riverdale of $3,228. Police would later release a surveillance photo of the suspect, described as a Black man in his 20's, wearing a fake beard and a black baseball cap.

The same suspect is also wanted for two similar hold-ups in Brooklyn.

On May 5, an incident at the Chase Bank at 5 E. Burnside Avenue was reported, but it is not known if the suspect fled with any money.

The Chase Bank at 784 Castle Hill Avenue reported a robbery by a Black male on April 21.

On March 31, a hold-up was reported at the Chase Bank at 3775 Riverdale Avenue. Police were reportedly looking for a white male, who apparently fled empty-handed after the teller hit a silent alarm.

On January 18, an attempt was made at the Capital One Bank located at 2159 White Plains Road. Determined to make a withdrawal, sources say the suspect then walked over to the Chase Bank at 2126 White Plains Road and robbed that location.

The CitiBank at 1265 Castle Hill Avenue was held-up at gunpoint on January 17. Despite the handgun, this male suspect fled empty handed.

Leaving no bank behind, on January 14, the Chase Bank at 1489 Metropolitan Avenue in Parkchester was robbed of an unknown amount of cash.

On January 10, a woman entered the Chase Bank at 1308 E. Gun Hill Road. Witnesses say the woman claimed she had a bomb, but fled empty handed. The determined woman would return to the same bank on January 12, but once again fled empty-handed.

The year began with an attempted robbery on January 3, at the Chase Bank at 3514 White Plains Road.

Two hours later the Apple Bank at 44 E. 162 Street was robbed by a male suspect, who fled with an undetermined amount of cash.

Meanwhile, two Bronx men were charged on Thursday, June 15, with an October robbery of a Yonkers bank-- with a pellet gun.

Cops say Michael Johnson, 36, of Walton Avenue and his cousin Andre Johnson, 29, of Co-op City, were charged in connection with an October 7 hold-up of the Key Bank, located at 2500 Central Park Avenue.

The suspects in that case fled with an estimated $100,000.

The Johnson cousins are suspected in a half dozen other bank robberies in Yonkers, Nyack and surrounding areas. The pair were being held without bond in White Plains.

Andre Johnson is reportedly cooperating with the FBI, who is assisting local police in the investigation.

Anyone with any information on the Bronx cases are asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stopper's hot line at 1 (800) 577-TIPS, all calls remain confidential.