Suspect arrested half-mile from bank

McHenry police arrested a man shortly after a robbery Wednesday evening at the Charter One Bank at Dominick's on Route 31.

Benjamin T. Thoma, 28, who lives either in Carpentersville or Crystal Lake, has been charged with armed robbery with no firearm in connection with the robbery, police said.

Thoma also was wanted on charges of contempt of court from McHenry and Lee counties and for failure to appear for court dates in Boone and Kane counties, police said.

According to McHenry Police Chief William Brogan, Thoma entered the bank at 6:31 p.m., told the teller he had a bomb in his duffel bag and said she had two minutes to hand over the money.

He was given an unknown amount of cash and left the bank, police said.

A customer in the bank saw the robber leave in a white Nissan Altima and gave police the license number. Thoma was arrested a half-mile away at the intersection of Elm Street and Route 31.

"Thoma was arrested without incident, and we found the cash he took on the driver's-side floor of his vehicle," Brogan said.

Thoma's arrest record includes charges of dangerous drugs, criminal damage to property, obstructing justice, disorderly conduct, assault and miscellaneous traffic offenses.

His bond was set at $16,500 Thursday, and his next court date is scheduled for Dec. 28 in Woodstock.