Joliet Bank Robber Takes Taxi To Crest Hill Inn: Police

JOLIET, IL — Emil Panock, a 54-year-old Wilmington man who stole $1,000 cash by robbing the PNC Bank in downtown Joliet around noon Friday and fleeing in a taxi cab, according to Joliet police, has been arrested.

Panock was booked into the Will County Jail at 5:30 p.m. on charges of robbery of a financial institution, possession of controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

The Wilmington man robbed the PNC Bank, at the corner of North Ottawa and Cass Streets, downtown Joliet's busiest intersection, at 12:05 p.m. Friday, according to police.

"A preliminary investigation determined that a suspect, later positively identified as Panock, entered the bank, approached a teller, and used a note to announce a robbery," Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English announced Friday night. "A weapon was implied, but not seen. Panock stole approximately $1,000 cash and left the bank."

Joliet's detectives worked with the FBI and PNC Bank on Friday afternoon to identify Panock as their prime suspect, police said.

"Detectives determined that Panock fled the scene of the robbery in a taxicab," Sgt. English revealed.

On Friday afternoon, Joliet police learned that Panock may be inside the Crest Hill Inn, 2109 Plainfield Road; detectives found Panock inside a guest room at the Crest Hill Inn and placed him into custody without incident, police said.

At the time of his arrest, Panock was in possession of proceeds from the PNC Bank robbery, suspected cocaine, and drug paraphernalia, police reports show.

Will County Jail logs from May show that Panock was incarcerated for two days on a temporary police hold for DuPage County authorities. At that time, jail records indicated the Wilmington man lived in the 500 block of West Kahler Road.