Robber in drag hits York Twp. banks

• York Area Regional Police say a bank robber dressed in drag struck again in York Township Saturday.
• Investigators believe the same suspect struck another bank in the area in October 2015.

The York Area Regional Police Department is asking for the community's help in identifying a man suspected of robbing two area banks over the last year while dressed as a woman.

The unidentified bandit-in-drag struck again about 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the York Traditions Bank at 235 St. Charles Way in York Township, according to a news release.

Sgt. Pete Montgomery said the robber's inclination to dress like a woman is likely an attempt at a disguise rather than a lifestyle choice, but he won't know for certain until a suspect is in custody.

"This person has hit before, we believe it's the same person," he said. "We had one in the past where the suspect used a disguise like this."

Wig and blouse: The suspect is described as a black man between 30 and 40 years old. He was wearing a green floral shirt with large print, an orange wig, sunglasses and dark pants or jeans.

According to the news release, witnesses in the bank Saturday saw the man outside the bank and immediately thought he looked suspicious. He then entered the bank and walked directly to the counter with a note in his right hand that read, "Put the money in the bag." He took a bag he had slung over his left shoulder and held it open for the teller to fill and then left, the release said.

If he was armed, the victims didn't say so, Montgomery said. The robber made off with an undisclosed amount of money and fled in an unknown direction. Police do not know if he was on foot the whole time or if he got into a vehicle.

Montgomery said he was unsure if the suspect ever said a word to the people inside the bank.

Last season's fashion: Investigators believe the man who hit the York Traditions Bank Saturday is the same man who robbed the Northwest Savings Bank at 2220 S. Queen St. in late October 2015. The robber wore a similar disguise then, but in that instance he carried a multi-colored handbag, police said.

Police: Another cross-dressing robber targets York bank

Montgomery said it is possible the robber has hit other locations outside York Area Regional's jurisdiction, but he did not know for sure.

"That's certainly possible, unless he just likes our area for some reason," he said. "But once you rob one bank, what's to stop you from robbing another one?"

Montgomery asked that anyone with information regarding the identity of the man in the surveillance footage, or who sees him driving a car or in line at a local store, call the York Area Regional Police Department at 717-741-1259 and ask to speak to Detective Hopple.

— Reach John Joyce at jjoyce2@yorkdispatch.comor on Twitter at @JohnJoyceYD.