An alleged serial bank robber in New York has reportedly stolen a total of only $605 after targeting six Chase branches over five consecutive days, according to authorities. The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Gustavo DeJesus Torres, remains at large despite an NYPD manhunt.
The spree began on Friday, 13 March, with robberies spanning Queens, Brooklyn, Harlem and the Bronx. Torres is said to have handed tellers notes threatening harm if cash was not handed over. However, his hauls were meagre: $320 from a branch in Jackson Heights, $265 from Flatbush, and just $20 from a Harlem location. Three other attempts yielded nothing, and no injuries were reported.
Police believe Torres previously stole $6,000 from a Chase bank in New Jersey in 2021 using a similar note, and was arrested for robbing $600 from a TD Bank in Manhattan's Tribeca area. The NYPD has released security camera images showing Torres on a subway platform between two robberies, holding a coffee cup.
Torres is described as a balding man with a beard who sometimes wears a mask. He typically flees on foot and does not claim to be armed. The NYPD is appealing for public assistance in locating him.
Bank robberies have been declining in the US, with 1,362 reported in 2023 compared to 2,440 in 2019 and 7,556 in 2004, according to FBI data. Approximately 60% of cases are solved, with over a third resolved on the same day.
