Bank Robber Sought in Co-op City Caper

By David Greene 

BRONX, NEW YORK, March 13- Police are looking for the individual who calmly walked into a Co-op City Bank and made an early-withdrawal--and if investigators catch up with him, he is headed for stiff penalties of up to 20 years behind bars.

Numerous sources say the individual walked into and robbed the Capital One Bank  located at 725 Co-op City Boulevard at about 4:30 p.m., on March 8. The suspect fled with an undetermined amount of cash.

One source stated the perpetrator dropped a bag he claimed was explosives, but turned out to be unfounded. The source's claim could not be immediately verified.

Police have not released a photo of the individual who was said to be a male Black in his 40s, wearing black gloves, a black mask covering his face, and he reportedly fled into the Municipal Credit Union parking lot. Witnesses reported the subject fled in a gray Mercedes Benz. No other details were immediately available.

Meanwhile, police have released a surveillance photo of a man who snatched a woman's purse as she was leaving a Bank of America on E. Fordham Road, at 9:30 p.m., on March 8.

Police say the 22-year old victim was thrown to the ground as the suspect took off with the woman's purse.

Police say the suspect in this case is in his mid 30s and is 5 foot 9 and was wearing a black jacket.

Anyone with information on either crime are asked to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS, all calls remain confidential.