Buffalo man now accused of two heists in Schenectady

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

The Buffalo man who allegedly robbed the KeyBank branch at 315 State St. in Schenectady is brought back to the scene for a positive identification by police officers on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016. The man was apprehended by authorities in a parking lot on E...

The man arrested in Tuesday’s downtown bank robbery is now accused in Saturday’s downtown robbery of a credit union, police said this afternoon.

James G. Hamilton, 45, of Buffalo, now faces a second count of third-degree robbery.

Police charged him today with Saturday’s heist at the downtown SEFCU, 469 State St.

Hamilton is accused of entering the credit union just before noon Saturday, passing a note to the teller and making off with cash.

Police arrested Hamilton on Tuesday afternoon as he fled from another downtown bank robbery.

Hamilton is accused of robbing the KeyBank, 315 State St., at about 1:30 p.m. Police said he passed that teller a note, making off with cash — and a secreted dye pack security device.

A city parking enforcement officer spotted Hamilton running in the area of Erie Boulevard and passed that information along to responding officers, police said. An officer then took the suspect into custody in the parking lot at 166 Erie Blvd.

Police said Hamilton had evidence from the KeyBank robbery on him.

Police have investigated other bank robberies in recent weeks but said today they believe the two recent robberies are the extent of his local activity.

Hamilton appeared in Schenectady City Court this morning on Tuesday’s robbery and he was ordered held without bail because of prior convictions.

His attorney indicated he has a wife and family in Buffalo.

State records indicate Hamilton was convicted in 2006 of third-degree robbery and third-degree attempted robbery in Erie County, where Buffalo is located. He received a total sentence there of four to eight years in state prison.