LENOX HILL — An East Harlem woman with a history of robberies tried to rob another woman by punching her in the face in front of a Citibank ATM on Sunday, according to the NYPD.
As a 23-year-old woman was depositing a check at in the bank's vestibule at 1330 First Ave. at 71st Street at 10:15 a.m., Tonya Harrell, 54, approached her from behind and punched her in the face and neck, police said.
Then she tried to withdraw cash while the victim's card and pin were still in the ATM, according to authorities.
But before she could, police officers, who had been called by a witness, stepped in and arrested her, police said.
The victim was uninjured except for some redness and didn't go to the hospital, police said.
Harrell was arraigned on Monday on an attempted robbery charge, where the judge set bail at $10,000 cash or $20,000, which Harrell did not post, according to court records. She is currently being held at Rikers Island.
Police said Harrell has a long criminal history, starting with a robbery in 1990.
Her attorney and Citibank didn't immediately return calls for comment on Wednesday.
Great work by Officers Bott & Koustoubardis arresting a female suspect for robbing a woman at ATM inside @Citi #UES pic.twitter.com/lbFA8StCtM
— NYPD 19th Precinct (@NYPD19Pct) September 13, 2016
