$50,000 bounty for 'Wheaton Bandit'
He hasn't surfaced in nearly four years, but the Wheaton Bandit still is out there - somewhere. Authorities increased the bounty to up to $50,000 Thursday to capture the prolific armed bandit who pocketed about $150,000 in as many as 16 heists in banks and credit unions in the Western suburbs.
The previous reward was $45,000.
Robert D. Grant, special agent-in-charge of the FBI in Chicago, announced the new bounty with the aim of generating leads to finally capture a man whom authorities describe as one of the most professional robbers they've seen in two decades.
The FBI also directed the public to view related photographs at the website bandittrackerchicago.com. It includes a sketch of a man who may be the bandit, unmasked, as seen by a witness just minutes before a Nov. 29, 2006 stickup.
For nearly five years, beginning Jan. 14, 2002, the armed man stalked financial institutions and frustrated the detectives who hunted him.
He last struck Dec. 7, 2006 in Glen Ellyn. With only his blue eyes visible through a dark ski mask, the armed man strides alone into a bank, orders everyone to the floor but one teller, who is directed to empty drawers, and then exits.
He usually is gone in 60 seconds. But before he leaves, the Wheaton Bandit threatens the terrified tellers to wait five minutes before calling police or he'll return to shoot them. "I have a police scanner," he warns. "I'll be monitoring." Seven of his first eight heists were in Wheaton, thus the nickname, but he branched out to Carol Stream, Geneva, Glen Ellyn, Naperville and Winfield. In Glen Ellyn, he struck four times.
Despite extensive media exposure, including on TV's "America's Most Wanted," he's remained at large. Police tracked hundreds of leads, from New York to Texas. Witnesses describe him as being a white male with a medium build at least 6 feet tall who speaks with a commanding voice. He wears a hooded jacket, dark ski mask, gloves and light jeans and carries a black semiautomatic handgun. The robber is estimated to be 25 to 35 years old and may be left handed. The FBI said they believe he may have military or police training, and that he is proficient in bank security. He may live locally, given his knowledge of the area. The Wheaton Bandit has waited as long as a year to strike again, or as few as days. He hits on every day of the week, but robs only in the snow, rain or the dark. He has never fired his handgun, but authorities suspect he will if needed, especially because they think he wears body armor. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at (312) 421-6700.