Notorious Canadian bank robber pleads guilty to Lake County theft

A notorious Canadian bank robber is heading back to federal prison after pleading guilty to retail theft in Lake County, authorities said.

Gilbert Galvan, 58, known in Canada as the “Phantom Bandit” or the “Flying Bandit,” pleaded guilty to retail theft of alcohol June 5 and was sentenced to 50 days in Lake County jail, said Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Matt DeMartini.

Galvan was required to serve 25 days of the sentence, but remains held in Lake County jail while he waits to be shipped back to federal court for parole violation.

DeMartini said officials in the U.S. Marshals Office have not said when they intend to pick up Galvan or when he will appear in federal court.

Galvan was arrested in May and charged with retail theft for stealing about $900 in alcohol from a Jewel-Osco store in downtown Barrington, authorities said.

Police said an alert employee of the food store noticed Galvan pushing a cart of booze through the aisles, and recognized him as a man who had stolen from the store days earlier.

The store employee called police, authorities said, and an officer arrested Galvan in the parking lot after he walked out of the store without paying.

Police identified Galvan and he admitted to being the “Phantom Bandit,” authorities said.

Barrington Police Chief David Dorn said Galvan was released from federal prison in December after serving 15 years for robbing a McHenry bank in 2000.

Before that arrest, Galvan served a 20-year prison sentence for stealing more than $1.8 million from roughly 50 banks and jewelry stores between 1984 and 1987, according to an Associated Press report.

Galvan became famous in 2005 after the television show “Masterminds” devoted an entire episode to him, saying he would rob banks and then “disappear” like a phantom.