NY Police: One-Handed Bank Robber Nabbed
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Authorities in New York have arrested a disabled man who they say robbed an Albany bank earlier this week.
Carmen Palella, who has only one forearm, has been taken into custody by the US Marshal's Fugitive Task Force and charged with third-degree robbery.
According to police, the bank robbery occurred at the State Employees Federal Credit Union branch on New Scotland Ave., Tuesday Afternoon.
Palella, who lost his left forearm in a car accident at age 12, allegedly approached a teller window and demanded money. He did not mention if he had a weapon and did not show one to the employee. After receiving an undisclosed amount of money, which he put into a black plastic bag, Palella fled on foot, police said.
No one was injured during the incident.
The police say Palella is currently on parole for bank robbery.
An article from local Albany newspaper the Times Union shows a man with a lengthy criminal record named Carmen C. Palella was indicted for robbing a New Scotland Ave. bank in April, 1999. The disposition of that case is unknown and calls for comment to police were not immediately returned.
Although one-handed bank heists are rare, it is not the first time a one-handed bandit has robbed a bank this year.
In February, a would-be bank robber got into a scuffle with police after a failed attempt to get a bag of loot out of a bank. During the struggle, the suspect’s prosthetic arm became detached. "The suspect's arm came off during this arrest," an officer noted in the police report.
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First Posted: 06/09/11 05:06 PM ET Updated: 11/15/11 05:32 AM ET