Poughkeepsie man charged with two bank robberies

Frank Surico

HIGHLAND – When Frank Surico of the City of Poughkeepsie was arrested by State Police from the Highland Barracks after he crashed into a City of Poughkeepsie Police vehicle, he was caught with the goods from the Citizens Bank branch in Pennsylvania he had just robbed.

Eastern Pike Regional Police Department Deputy Chief Eric Stewart said they caught him with proof that he was the robber.

“He was stopped in the described vehicle that he fled the scene in and he was found to be in possession of the stolen currency -- $7,000 – and the description identifying him with the clothing he was wearing,” he said.

Surico, 43, also admitted to New Windsor Town Police later that he had held up the Citizens Bank branch on January 24, said Lt. Michael Farbent.

“Afterwards when our detectives talked to him, he definitely admitted to our detectives that he was involved in the New Windsor one, which was in the Vails Gate area,” he said.

New Windsor Police charged him with third degree robbery and grand larceny in the third degree, both charges stemming from the bank heist in their town.

The Eastern Pike Regional Police Department has charged him as a fugitive from justice with robbery and theft by unlawful taking, both felonies, said Deputy Chief Stewart.

Police are still looking into if he had anything to do with a January bank robbery in the Town of Wallkill. Police said he has not confessed to that.

Police continue to investigate to determine if Surico is responsible for several other robberies in the area as well as in the state of Connecticut and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.