TORONTO - A suspect known as the Vaulter Bandit is bouncing across the GTA.

The pistol-packing bank robber who jumps over counters and takes command of staff and customers during his heists has now claimed a Hamilton bank.

He's robbed six York Region banks, two others in Mississauga and on Thursday, the suspect robbed the Scotiabank branch at 1070 Stone Church Rd. E.

As usual, he robbed the bank in the morning and again as part of his modus operandi, he leapt over the counter, claiming he had a gun.

To emphasize that he meant business, he showed a teller the weapon that was tucked into the waistband of his pants.

Det.-Sgt. Paul Downey of the Hamilton police's break, enter, auto theft and robbery unit said robbery cops from Hamilton, Peel and York plan to meet next week and possibly set up a task force aimed at getting the robber.

"We are going to be working together on this because of the similarities," Downey said.

"There's a lot, he jumps the counter, the description is quite similar."

The Vaulter Bandit also usually strikes at two banks quickly, and the frequency of robberies is increasing.

In his heists, he demonstrates the move that has prompted police to give him his moniker: He vaults over the counter and empties cash drawers. The athletic robber is authoritarian, telling victims in a calm voice exactly what he wants both tellers and customers to do.

Police also said the suspect has a knowledge of security systems and doesn't leave any fingerprints behind, usually wearing a glove on one hand and carrying a bag in the other.

He first struck Feb. 3 with the heist of an RBC branch on Yonge St., and the next day he robbed a TD-Canada Trust branch on Main St., both in Markham.

The bandit vanished until June 7, when he robbed the Scotiabank on Main St., Markham, and on June 11, he robbed another Scotiabank on Bathurst St. in Vaughan. He put the money in a black bag and fled.

Again he vanished until Aug. 20, when he robbed a Scotiabank on Islington Ave. in Vaughan at 10:45 a.m., and about 15 minutes later, he robbed the TD-Canada Trust on Woodbridge Ave.

Following a press conference by York robbery detectives, the man then surfaced in Mississauga.

On Sept. 1, he robbed the Scotiabank at 660 Eglinton Ave. W. and two days earlier, he robbed the Scotiabank branch at 1825 Dundas St. E.