A bank robber wanted for trying to stick up six banks across New York City in a span of just five days was arrested by U.S. Marshals in New Jersey, according to federal law enforcement.
Gustavo DeJesus-Torres was arrested Wednesday in Newark, the U.S. Marshals said in press release, following his string of half a dozen attempted robberies from March 13-17.
In each incident, the 33-year-old DeJesus-Torres had the same M.O.: He would enter the bank and then pass a note to the teller, demanding money, according to police. The note included a threat that the teller might get hurt if they didn’t comply, the U.S. Marshals service said.
On half of the attempts, DeJesus-Torres walked away without any money. In his other three tries, he got $320, $265 and $20, respectively, police said.
The alleged robberies were at Chase bank locations throughout the city, including the Queens neighborhoods of Long Island City and Jackson Heights, in Downtown Brooklyn and Flatbush, in Harlem and in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx.
DeJesus-Torres was tracked down just over two weeks after his final attempted heist, after U.S. Marshals service investigators had watched hours of surveillance and followed up on leads and tips from the public.
“This arrest is the result of meticulous investigative work,” said Nicholas Ricigliano, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey. “We are committed to ensuring the safety of our communities and holding those responsible for their crimes accountable.”
Attorney information for DeJesus-Torres was not immediately available.