Gun wielding nuns on the run after botched bank heist

They better not make it into a habit. The FBI are searching for two women who tried to rob a bank wearing surprising disguises - they were dressed as nuns.

Authorities said the two women were around 5 - 5'2 and wore nun's habits and veils. The two were also armed with a black handgun and are now wanted for attempted armed bank robbery.

FBI Philadelphia tweeted out a series of pictures of the suspects with their faces partly veiled by the religious garb as they hold aloft handguns. One appears to be wearing sunglasses along with her habit.

The robbery took place in Tannersville, Pennsylvania. One local news station reported that the bank was Citizens Bank on route 611.

The FBI are asking anyone in the area with information about the attempted heist to contact them at: 215-418-4000.

On Twitter, a number of users had fun with the surreal image. Eric Prim commented "The bank teller was having nun of it", while another suggested authorities' first lead should be to "check every Catholic church in the city boundaries. A SISTER would know."

Some headline writers enjoying the story have made subtle reference to the 1990 British comedy film 'Nuns on the Run' in which celebrated comedians Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane are forced hide in a nunnery and dress as nuns after a failed attempt to leave their gangster lifestyle behind.