Commerce Bank's University City location was robbed for the second time in a week at approximately 3 p.m. on Friday.
Two other Commerce Bank sites in Philadelphia, located at 200 Lombard Street and 2201 S. Broad Street, were also robbed on Friday.
According to a statement released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, two black males entered the bank, located at 3731 Walnut Street, and handed the victim teller a demand note. The suspects, described as teenagers, left with an undisclosed amount of money and fled the area on foot. No injuries were reported.
The two suspects had not yet been apprehended Tuesday but are being pursued by Philadelphia Police and the FBI.
The University City Commerce Bank was also robbed at approximately 9 a.m. on Monday, April 21. According to police on the scene, a man allegedly entered the bank and gave the teller a threatening note demanding cash before fleeing the scene on foot. Approximately $5,000 was stolen, according to University Police Chief Tom Rambo.
The FBI is currently in charge of the investigation into the bank robberies, including the three that took place on Friday.
"We believe they are related at this point," FBI Special Agent Linda Vizi said. "The MO is the same, they were all Commerce Banks, and we think they are related in some fashion."
Police, however, are still uncertain as to whether Monday and Friday's robbery are related.
"I am not assuming it is the same people," Rambo said.
Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush confirmed these sentiments.
"It doesn't appear to be the same people, but we do not know for sure."
University City's Commerce Bank has had a long history of robberies. Friday's marks the ninth robbery in the last seven years, including two robberies in 2001 and two in 2000.
In response to the two robberies in one week, Commerce Bank is working with the FBI and University Police to increase security.
"We are in touch with the corporate security director for Commerce Bank and trying to take proactive measures in stepping up security," Rush said. "There is now an Allied Security guard posted in the lobby of the bank, and we are trying to work together to keep the area safe."
The FBI are looking for two suspects in the bank robberies. One is a thin black male about 5'3" tall, under 19 years old with a thin mustache, wearing a black baseball cap with white NBA insignia, white T-shirt and a black quilted jacket at the time of the robbery.
The other suspect is a thin black male, about 5'3" tall, with braids and a scar on his cheek, wearing a green and gold baseball cap, white T-shirt and a black quilted jacket at the time of the robbery.
The Commerce Bank crimes represent a rash of recent robberies across the Philadelphia area and surrounding region.
"This is across the city, not just this Commerce Bank," Rush said. "There has been a recent increase in bank robberies across the city, Delaware Valley and the surrounding suburbs."
Officials from Commerce Bank could not be reached for comment.
Anyone with any information concerning the robberies is asked to call the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force at (215) 418-4000.
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