Father-son team charged in Wheaton bank heist

A father-son team has been charged in connection with a Wheaton bank robbery and authorities believe the duo was involved in a Naperville bank robbery as well.

Louis H. Early, 51, of Dewitt, N.Y., and his son, Louis S. Early, 26, of Cherry Court in Lisle, each have been charged with one felony count of bank robbery.

The charge stems from the March 18 armed robbery of the TCF Bank branch in the Danada Square Shopping Center in Wheaton.

According to the criminal complaint, the elder Early robbed the bank with the help of his son, an assistant branch manager who was on duty that day. He displayed a handgun to his son and a teller, and the younger Early loaded a bag with cash for him from the bank's vault, authorities say.

The complaint alleges they took $60,500.

The two are also believed to be involved in the March 9 robbery of the Fifth Third Bank, 1311 Ridgeland Ave. in Naperville, authorities say. FBI officials say the senior Early told a teller he had a gun and ordered the teller to give him the cash from two drawers. His son acted as a getaway driver, according to the complaint.

The elder Early was arrested March 21 in New York on unrelated state charges. Upon a search of his hotel room, authorities say they found a black bag with about $52,342, a .32-caliber handgun and a police scanner in his hotel room. Early is in state custody in New York pending his transfer to Chicago.

The younger Early was arrested Wednesday at his Lisle residence and is being held without bond at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.

Both men face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.