By Shayna Jacobs
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN CRIMINAL COURT — A 20-year-old man has been accused of threatening to blow up a SoHo currency exchange during a robbery and also trying to rob a bank in TriBeca, prosecutors said.
William Woodruff, 20, was charged with attempted robbery for allegedly demanding cash from a female teller at the 127 Hudson Street Citibank branch on Dec. 20.
"This is a robbery. Give me all of your large bills. Don't do anything stupid," he allegedly told the 25-year-old bank employee, who did not believe he was serious at first, prosecutors said.
He fled without taking any money, and was captured by bank security cameras, prosecutors said.
Woodruff is also one of two suspects charged in a robbery at the Choice Forex Currency Exchange on Sullivan Street on Dec. 7 at about 3:55 p.m. on a retail corner busy with holiday shoppers.
Prosecutors said 40-year-old Charles Smith guarded the door while Woodruff allegedly sprayed an "unknown liquid" behind the counter and flashed a cigarette lighter.
He then threatened to "blow up the building" if the teller did not hand over cash.
The duo fled with $1,000 but were caught by police two weeks later while loitering outside the scene of the crime, the complaint says.
In addition, Woodruff was charged with an apparent armed street mugging of a man in front of 97 Sullivan Street. He allegedly stole $80 from the victim while brandishing a firearm, according to the criminal complaint.
Woodruff, who faces up to 25 years in prison on the top robbery charge, was ordered held without bail at his arraignment Thursday night. Bail was set at $100,000 for Smith.
According to the criminal complaint, Woodruff admitted to each of allegations after his arrest. He also implicated Smith in the currency exchange heist, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
