Robber strikes ninth bank in the suburbs

A serial bank robber federal agents have dubbed the "Time Bandit" pulled off a Halloween-night heist in Warrenville, officials said Thursday.

The bandit committed his first West suburban heist Wednesday by robbing a branch of the American Chartered Bank, 4685 Warrenville Road, FBI spokeswoman Cynthia Yates said.

Since January 2005, authorities believe the same bandit has been successful in eight other bank robberies, mostly in Southwest and South suburbs, including Frankfort, Bolingbrook and New Lenox.

The FBI is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

In the Wednesday robbery, a man entered the bank about 7:30 p.m., announced the heist and ordered both employees into the vault. The robber then removed cash from the vault.

"He ordered the tellers to count to 300 before they came out, consistent with the Time Bandit," Yates said.

The suspect is believed to be 6 feet 2 inches tall with a thin build. He was wearing a blue, hooded sweatshirt and a black ski mask and was armed with a butcher knife.

After the robbery, the man fled on foot with an undetermined amount of cash.

No bank employees were injured during the robbery, and no customers were believed to be present.

Yates said the Time Bandit last struck a Burr Ridge bank in March.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Eric Kaley at the FBI at (312) 421-6700.