By Jon Schuppe
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN —The Bouquet Bandit doesn't only use flowers as a decoy when he robs banks. He likes other flora, too.
The bald-headed robber, who held up a bank in Chelsea last week while holding flowers wrapped in Cellophane and pink tissue paper, is also wanted for an earlier heist in which he used a potted plant, police said Tuesday.
On the morning of July 8, the man walked into a Capital One branch on West 23rd Street wearing a white t-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap and put the plant on the counter. Underneath the pot was a note that said, "Give me all your 100s, 50s, no dye pack, no bait money," police said.
The teller handed over a cash box, and the robber grabbed money from it and left with the plant.
He struck again Thursday morning, at a Bank of Smithtown branch on Seventh Avenue near West 18th Street. This time, he was holding a bouquet of flowers. He was wearing a blue t-shirt, jeans and white sneakers.
When he got to the teller, he reached into the flowers and pulled out a note that said, "Give me all your $100's, 50's, don't be a hero," according to police.
The teller handed over the cash, and the robber fled, leaving the flowers behind.
Police described the robber as between 30 and 35 years old, and between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall.
Police asked that anyone with information about the heist to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), go to www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) with the entry TIP577.
