An alleged serial bank robber in New York appears to be on a remarkably unsuccessful run, carrying out six heists across Queens, Brooklyn, Harlem and the Bronx in just five days—yet managing to collect only $605 in total, authorities said.
Police are still searching for the suspect, identified as 33-year-old Gustavo DeJesus Torres. According to investigators, the spree began on Friday, 13 March, with Torres reportedly passing written notes to bank tellers warning they could be harmed if they didn’t comply with his demands.
Despite targeting multiple branches, his returns have been minimal. Authorities say he walked away with $320 from a robbery in Jackson Heights, $265 from another in Flatbush, and just $20 from a Harlem location. In three additional attempts, he reportedly failed to secure any money at all. No injuries were reported in any of the incidents.
Officials believe Torres may have had more success in the past. In 2021, he allegedly stole $6,000 from a Chase bank in New Jersey using a note that read: “I’m heavily armed don’t make a scene.” He has also previously been arrested for allegedly taking $600 from a TD Bank branch in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) has issued a public appeal for help in locating him.
Authorities say they identified Torres through surveillance images captured during the incidents. One image, taken during a 57-minute gap between two robberies—one in downtown Brooklyn where he left empty-handed and another in Flatbush where he obtained $265—shows him standing on a subway platform holding a coffee cup.
Police noted that the suspect has not claimed to be carrying a weapon during these robberies. The spree reportedly continued until 17 March, with Torres typically fleeing on foot. He has been described as a balding man with a beard who occasionally wears a mask.
Meanwhile, bank robberies in the United States have been steadily declining. FBI data shows there were 1,362 cases in 2023, compared to 2,440 in 2019 and 7,556 in 2004. Around 60% of such cases are solved, with more than a third resolved on the same day. The average amount stolen has also dropped, now standing at approximately $4,200.
