Armed robber who holds up the same bank for Christmas

POLICE are hunting an armed robber who has struck at the same bank in London for three years in a row.

On each occasion the baseball cap-wearing suspect has escaped with a few thousand pounds in cash.

The latest theft took place on Monday at 4.47pm when the man ordered a cashier at Lloyds TSB in Tottenham Court Road to empty her till.

Last year he struck in November leading police to suspect he is simply collecting cash to pay for Christmas.

The robberies are being investigated by Scotland Yard's Flying Squad, who have said the raids are out of the ordinary.

Detective Constable Jim Laird, leading the inquiry, said: "The man does not get a huge amount of money in the robberies so he cannot afford to live off the proceeds in between these incidents.

"It is quite odd. The last two robberies have been close to Christmas it is as if he is just withdrawing his savings."

In the latest strike the man is described as speaking with an American accent, though police do not believe it is genuine.

Scotland Yard said the man waited in a queue, approached a cashier, told her he had a gun in his bag and asked her to empty the till.

He is white, aged between 35 and 40, of medium build, about 5ft 9in tall, with short dark hair and angular features. He was wearing a blue baseball cap, dark jacket, blue jeans and reading glasses with gold rims. The two previous robberies took place at 4.18pm on 8 November last year and at 4.44pm on 7 March, 2006.

Dc Laird said: "The man is quite clever. He is careful not to draw attention to himself and queues up in the bank with the other customers.

"He is very calm and informs the cashiers that he has a gun and shows them the outline of what appears to be a handgun in a bag.

"He speaks very quietly and then simply walks out and, apart from the cashier, no one has noticed. He is slightly more sophisticated than most people we deal with."

Anyone with information should call Finchley Flying Squad on 020 8358 1751 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.