Ottawa Police are investigating an unusual number of bank robberies, 20 of them, so far this year.
It's not clear what is prompting the spike, but police say they are stepping-up their search for suspects.
At this time last year, there had been 9 bank hold-ups, and there were 30 in all of 2014.
The most recent incident happened on Wednesday at a bank branch in the Glebe. Police have released security camera images of a suspect in his early 20's. Police say he produced a note demanding a large sum of money, but left the bank empty handed.
The 20 incidents this year are spread across the city, from the core, to the suburbs.
Police won’t discuss how much money thieves obtain in a bank robbery, but modern security features at banks limit the amount of money a teller can access in a timely fashion.
Security cameras are now able to capture high quality images, making it easier to identify suspects.
Ottawa Police say, on average, they solve nearly three quarters of their bank robbery investigations.
