A man who allegedly walks into New York City businesses, slides a note across the counter and quietly asks for cash is now at the center of a citywide manhunt. Police say 33-year-old Gustavo DeJesus Torres is linked to a string of note-passing robberies across the five boroughs, including two incidents in Brooklyn on March 14. In several cases, he left with only small amounts of money, and in at least one, he walked out empty-handed. No injuries have been reported, but detectives have pushed out surveillance stills in the hope that someone recognizes him.
What police say
According to News 12 New York, investigators identified the suspect as Torres and linked him to incidents in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx. Police say his first Brooklyn stop on March 14 was a business on Fulton Street around 11:20 a.m., where he allegedly handed over a note demanding cash but ultimately left with nothing. Less than an hour later, he is accused of targeting a bank on Nostrand Avenue in Flatbush and getting away with about $265.
Surveillance images released by the NYPD show a man inside storefronts and entering a subway station as detectives canvass neighborhood precincts and transit hubs, trying to trace his path across the city.
How to pass tips to investigators
Police are asking anyone who recognizes the man, or who may have relevant video or photos, to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA, in line with the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers guidance. Tips can also be submitted anonymously online and may be eligible for a cash reward, the program notes.
How this fits a pattern
Daytime robbery patterns like this have surfaced in Brooklyn in recent months. In one December case, police said a suspect was tied to a dozen robberies across the borough, according to Gothamist. Those earlier incidents, like the current investigation, often left employees rattled and prompted stepped-up patrols even when no one was physically harmed.
Detectives in this latest case have again stressed that no injuries have been reported in the note robberies, and they are urging New Yorkers to share footage or tips with police rather than confront anyone themselves. News 12 New York reports that investigators have distributed the surveillance stills to local precincts and transit units as the search for Torres continues.
