FBI: Serial bank bandit suspected in 5th heist

A bantamweight bandit suspected of robbing four Philadelphia banks this summer apparently struck again today, the FBI says.

It says Joseph DiFalco is believed to have been the robber who escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash after passing a demand note to a teller at the M&T Bank branch at 7121 Frankford Ave. in Northeast Philadelphia.

DiFalco has already been charged with the robbery of the Wachovia Bank branch at 2227 South Broad St. in South Philadelphia on July 23.

He also is suspected in the following holdups:

Citizens Bank, 10650 Bustleton Ave., Northeast Philadelphia, July 26;

Conestoga Bank, 2444 South Broad St., South Philadelphia, Aug 2;

CitiBank, 2118 Cottman Avenue, Northeast Philadelphia, Aug. 14.

The FBI said that in today's robbery, the bandit wore a white baseball cap with a logo or word across the front, a dark plain short-sleeved T-shirt over a long-sleeved gray shirt, long denim cargo shorts, and dark sneakers.

DiFalco, 32, 5-feet, 3-inches tall and weight 130 pounds. He has a thin beard and closely cropped hair, and large tattoos on his outer forearms.

He is originally from South Philadelphia but may be staying in Northeast Philadelphia, the FBI says.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 215-418-4000 or the Philadelphia police.