FBI Nabs Suspected Serial Bank Bandit in Alsip, Evergreen Park and South Side Robberies

CHICAGO, IL -- The FBI nabbed an alleged serial bank bandit believed to be responsible for bank heists last month in Alsip, Evergreen Park and Chicago. Darrell Blakely, 44, appeared Monday in U.S. District Court on bank robbery charges. He is also a suspect in two other bank robberies Oak Lawn and Chicago. The bank heists were described as non-takeover robberies.

Blakely was identified by a bank employees as well as a tipster who the FBI said recognized him from surveillance images released on BanditTracker Chicago. According to the complaint, Blakely walked into the US Bank branch located at 12004 South Pulaski Road, Alsip, around 3:06 p.m. July 12. After lingering inside for several minutes, the FBI said he approached a teller window and shoved a demand note and a red and gray pouch across the counter.

The teller told federal agents that the note stated “Give me your hundreds fifties and twenties. As the teller was reading the note, Blakely verbally added “no dye packs or bait, hurry,” the complaint said. The FBI said that as the teller was putting cash in the pouch, Blakey requested “more fifties.” After getting the cash, Blakely is said to have grabbed the pouch containing $3,825 along with his note and walked out of the bank.

>>>> Bank Robbed in Alsip

Blakely is alleged to have struck twice on July 26, allegedly robbing banks in Evergreen Park and Chicago. Around 12:30 p.m. July 26, surveillance video showed the bandit entering the US Bank branch at 2917 95th St. in Evergreen Park. The FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force said Blakely walked up to the teller with a piece of paper in his hand. As the teller was reading the paper, Blakely pushed a dark pouch across the counter. The teller put $335 of U.S. currency into the pouch and Blakely fled the bank, the complaint said.

Law enforcement canvassed the area and talked to a resident, who said the alleged robber ran out from an exit in an Auto Zone store and ran down an alley, where he jumped into the rear seat of a Ford Expedition. The FBI was able to trace the license plate that showed Blakely as the registered owner.

>>>> US Bank Robbed In Evergreen Park

Later that afternoon, a man with a similar physical description from the other bank robberies walked into the US Bank branch at 3525 W. 63rd Street in Chicago around 2 p.m. Surveillance video showed the purported bandit walking to a teller window and handing a piece of paper and a pouch to the teller, demanding “100s, 50s and 20s.” The robber also demanded "everything in the top drawer." During the heist, the bandit told the teller to “hurry up” and threatened to “hurt everyone in the bank.” After grabbing $743 in loot, the bandit ran out of the bank, the FBI said.

Shortly after the second bank robbery on July 26, an FBI Task Force officer noticed on a Chicago traffic light a Ford Expedition similar to the vehicle seen at the Evergreen Park bank robbery, the complaint said. Tellers from the robberies identified Blakely in photo lineups; one bank employee was “90 percent confident” that the alleged bandit was Blakely. Before the photo arrays were shown to bank employees, the FBI said a tipster called to report he recognized Blakely’s images from surveillance photos on the FBI-run website BanditTrackerChicago.

>>>> TCF Bank Robbed In Oak Lawn

Witnesses described the bank robber as a tall, African-American male in his 30s with a large build. He wore a yellow or blue colored baseball cap, light colored shirt and tie. Other employees reported to the suspect as having a deep voice. In addition to the Alsip, Evergreen Park and Chicago robberies, the FBI indicated that Blakely is also a suspect in the June 6 robbery of a US Bank branch located at 600 W. 37th St. in Chicago and a TCF Bank branch in Oak Lawn located at 103rd Street and Pulaski Road on July 12.