The Wheaton Bandit is an unidentified bank robber suspected to be responsible for as many as 16 armed robberies around Wheaton, Illinois from 2002 to 2006.[1] He appeared to be 25 to 35 years old at the time of the robberies, always wore a hood or ski mask, and wore different clothing in each robbery. Instead of placing his finger on the gun trigger, he often kept his trigger finger along the side of the gun, a safety position that suggests firearms training.[1][2] Outlines of his jackets suggest that he also wore a bulletproof vest.[2]
Reported sightings
editThere were at least two possible sightings of the Wheaton Bandit without a face covering. In late December 2004, an unidentified man entered the MidAmerica Bank in Glen Ellyn without conducting a transaction, but was recorded by the bank's security cameras. Two weeks later, in January 2005, the Wheaton Bandit robbed the bank, and the December visitor fit the known physical description of the robber.[1] On November 29, 2006, a witness spotted a suspicious man in the parking lot of the Fifth Third Bank one hour before it was robbed. This witness helped the police draw a composite sketch of the suspicious person.[2]
After the sketch of the parking lot man was released to the public on December 11, 2006, the crime spree abruptly ended and there were no further reports of the Wheaton Bandit.[2] Despite a $50,000 reward being offered for information about the robber, the five-year statute of limitations on the bank robbery charges ran out on December 7, 2011.[1]
Robberies
edit| Date | Institution | Location |
|---|---|---|
| January 14, 2002 | West Suburban Bank | Wheaton: 295 West Loop |
| January 3, 2003 | West Suburban Bank | Wheaton: 221 South West St. |
| January 11, 2003 | West Suburban Bank | Wheaton: 295 West Loop |
| January 28, 2003 | West Suburban Bank | Wheaton: 221 South West St. |
| February 12, 2003 | West Suburban Bank | Carol Stream: 879 Geneva |
| March 4, 2003 | West Suburban Bank | Wheaton: 221 South West St. |
| May 10, 2003 | LaSalle Bank | Wheaton: 225 West Front |
| August 28, 2003 | Harris Bank | Wheaton: 4 Blanchard Circle |
| January 22, 2004 | Health Care Credit Union | Winfield: 27W460 Chicago Ave |
| July 22, 2004 | Oak Brook Bank | Glen Ellyn: 487 Pennsylvania |
| January 14, 2005 | MidAmerica Bank | Glen Ellyn: 674 Roosevelt Road |
| November 28, 2005 | Harris Bank | Naperville: 507 South Washington |
| January 31, 2006 | Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust | Glen Ellyn: 462 North Park |
| November 29, 2006 | Fifth Third Bank | Winfield: 1 North 111 County Farm Road |
| December 1, 2006 | Charter One Bank | Geneva: 421 Hamilton Street |
| December 7, 2006 | Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust | Glen Ellyn: 462 North Park[3] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d Rice, Ross (May 24, 2011). "Public's Help Sought in Search for "Wheaton Bandit"" (Press release). Chicago: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
- ^ a b c d "The Wheaton Bandit". American Greed. Season 1. Episode 4. 2007-07-12. CNBC. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
- ^ "Wheaton Bandit – 462 North Park, Glen Ellyn, IL". Bandit Tracker Chicago. Archived from the original on January 6, 2013.
External links
edit- American Greed season 1 episode 4 — information, interviews, and other video
- Wheaton Bandit – 462 North Park, Glen Ellyn, IL on BanditTracker Chicago — camera images and description