Serial Bank Robber Targets Skokie Bank, Runs Away Empty-Handed

SKOKIE, IL — Federal investigators suspect a serial bank robber tried to rob a Skokie bank last week. The same man completed four other robberies — and attempted a fifth — over the past two months in Chicago, according to the FBI. All six incidents took place in Chase Bank branches.

The lone suburban incident occurred at 11:37 a.m. Friday at the Chase branch at 5200 W. Dempster St. Skokie police said the man walked up to a teller with a note and placed it on the counter.

Wearing the same North Face-branded hooded sweatshirt as the man who tried the previous afternoon to rob a bank in the Lakeview neighborhood, the suspect repeatedly told the teller to read the note, police said.

But the teller did not respond fast enough. The man then picked up the note and ran away empty-handed. He was last scene headed north behind the strip mall in the 5200 block of Dempster Street, according to police.

Authorities said the robber was described as being about 6 feet tall and in his early 20s with a thin build. He had a partially grown mustache and noticeable acne on his face, according to police. Along with the navy blue sweatshirt, he wore large black sunglasses and black pants.

The FBI is offering up to $1,000 for information that leads to directly to the arrest of the robber, who should be considered armed and dangerous.

The same man robbed Chicago Chase branches at 1934 S. State St. at 12:48 p.m. May 17, at 1055 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. at 2:34 p.m. May 28 and at 935 W. Armitage Ave. at 10:53 a.m. June 22.

He also attempted one at 3714 N. Broadway St. at 2:47 p.m. July 11 and completed another at 1101 W. Lawrence Ave. at 2:10 p.m. July 12, according to the FBI.

The most recent incident took place in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood less than two hours after the serial robber's fruitless attempt to rob the Skokie bank using a note.

Surveillance images of a suspect released by the FBI show the robber wearing several different hooded sweatshirts and, sometimes, a white mask over his mouth.

During the May incidents, the images show the robber wearing a distinctive "Jordan x Gatorade 'Like Mike'" sweatshirt, while an image from the June incident show him wearing a gray, unbranded hoodie.

Authorities asked anyone with information about the Skokie incident or any of the other robberies to contact the FBI's Chicago field office at 312-421-6700 or submit a tip online.