Robbery Suspect Targeting Customers At Chase ATMs On Upper East Side, Police Say
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Police are searching for a suspect accused of robbing customers at Chase bank ATMs on the Upper East Side.
The latest incident happened around 8:20 p.m. Tuesday at an ATM on York Avenue near East 79th Street.
Police said an 85-year-old man was withdrawing money when the suspect snuck up behind him and snatched it.
Surveillance video shows the suspect – believed to be wearing a wig - grab the elderly man's money right out of the machine. The victim struggles to hold onto the cash as the suspect shoves him to the floor.
Police said the robber got away with $2,600, and the victim cut his hand.
"This is a very safe neighborhood. I wouldn't think about looking out for that at all," one customer told CBS2's Christina Fan.
Investigators believe the same suspect may have been responsible for an attempted robbery at a bank on Third Avenue near East 90th Street on Sept. 20.
Police said the suspect, who was wearing a different disguise, tried to steal a 49-year-old woman's purse, dragging her in the process.
The victim put up a fight and was able to hold onto her belongings. She suffered cuts on her hands and knees in the struggle.
"I kept looking back to make sure nobody was standing behind me because of that reason," one customer said.
"I look behind my back all the time," another customer said.
Families on the Upper East Side say they will be more cautious using the ATM at night since both of the robberies happened after business hours.
"I will keep my eyes open a little more. I run this property across the street so I'm here all the time," one man said.
"Now I will probably be paying a little bit more attention. I will tell my family to do the same and everybody I know," another man said.
Police are trying to track down the suspect, whose gender is not clear.
Anyone with information about the robberies is asked to call NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website, by Tweeting @NYPDTips or by texting a tip to 274637.