Bamboozled By Teller, Bank Robber Offers ID Before Arrest: FBI

CHICAGO — An alert teller tricked a would-be robber into handing over identifying paperwork and hanging around at a Humboldt Park bank until police arrived to arrest him about 15 minutes later, according to the FBI.

Edner Flores, 34, showed up around 11:45 a.m. Monday and waited in line to see a teller at the PNC Bank branch at 3337 W. North Ave. in Chicago, according to charging documents filed the next day.

The teller told investigators Flores first handed over a white deposit ticket with a message, "No die Packs" and "armed," according to an affidavit from FBI agent Ward Yoder. Officers later reported finding a knife in the pocket of Flores' jacket.

After triggering a silent alarm, the teller asked Flores whether he was looking to make a deposit or a withdrawal, according to the agent. Flores said he wanted to make a withdrawal.

The teller then handed over a blue withdrawal slip and watched as Flores allegedly wrote "$10,000" on the withdrawal ticket.

An photograph of the slip shows the account number written as "1234567898911" with "Ten Thousand dollars" written in cursive above a signature.

The teller then asked Flores for an ATM card and a form of identification, the agent alleged.

Flores continued to cooperate with the requests, providing a receipt for a state identification card issued three days earlier by the Illinois Secretary of State's Office.

Police arrived around noon and took Flores into custody. According to Yoder, Flores waived his rights and confessed to the robbery during an interview.

At an initial appearance Tuesday, Flores was found unable to afford a lawyer.

The results of a detention hearing held by telephone held Thursday afternoon were not immediately available. As of Thursday evening, federal prison records indicate he remained at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.