The notorious “Burberry Bandit” from NYC, as described by his parents, represents both a failure of the city’s mental health system and an obsession with his own flashy style.
Cornell Neely made headlines last Sunday while on parole, allegedly robbing five banks between August 16 and September 13, all while maintaining a flashy demeanor despite his 29 previous bank robbery arrests.
A family member mentioned to the Post that perhaps Neely’s pride in his appearance might have contributed to his criminal behavior.
“They were calling him that because of how he dressed,” said his aunt, referring to the stylish attire he wore when arrested at an apartment on the Upper West Side on September 15. “He always looked sharp.”
Gaining notoriety in 2012, Neely was caught on surveillance robbing a Bank of America in Midtown, draped in Burberry’s signature checkered pattern.
It’s believed he might have returned to his bank robbery spree due to his struggles with bipolar disorder and possibly being off his medication.
“I think he needs his medicine again,” his aunt speculated, wishing to remain unnamed.
There’s no clear record of whether Neely sought help from mental health professionals in the city.
Two women were reportedly with Neely when the police apprehended him outside a building on West 65th Street near West End Avenue.
“I’ll be back soon,” she recalled him saying. “I just need to speak to my parole officer.”
Moments later, two police cars arrived, and officers rushed in. One of the officers pulled out his weapon, as noted by the woman.
“I think he was surprised and tried to run, but then he realized, ‘Don’t run,’” his aunt recounted. “He raised his hands.”
Images from years earlier show Neely, with his family expressing concern over his mental health and medication situation.
Judge Jeffrey Gershney, appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2019, dismissed the prosecutor’s request for a substantial bail, releasing Neely despite him already being on parole.
Neely, whose biological mother and grandmother were incarcerated, returned to his family home on the Upper West Side following his release, according to his grandmother.
“I told him, ‘I love you, but don’t get into trouble,’” she remembered.
Neely looked down and replied, “I love you too, Grandma,” she recounted.
Yet she firmly stated she wouldn’t allow him to “play the game” again.
“I’m going to ring his neck,” she added.
