Chicago man charged with armed robbery in Addison, Naperville heists
A DuPage County judge Saturday denied pretrial release for a Chicago man charged with armed robbery at two BMO Harris Banks in Addison and Naperville this summer, authorities said.
Kenneth Eggleston, 30, of the 9200 block of Princeton Avenue, is among several suspects in the heists at gunpoint that caused a number of BMO branches to lock their doors in August. More than $267,000 was stolen, prosecutors said.
Eggleston is charged with armed violence, armed robbery with a firearm, attempted armed robbery with a firearm, financial institution robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a firearm by a felon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Police questioned Eggleston in late July but released him. Further investigation "identified Eggleston as a suspect," officials said, and he was taken into custody Friday in Chicago.
Officials cited two robberies and an attempted robbery that occurred between 9 and 10 a.m. on separate July days.
On July 19, two masked, armed men burst into the BMO Harris Bank at 320 W. Diehl Road in Naperville. They ordered customers and employees to the floor and forced workers to open the bank vault at gunpoint. About $95,716 was stolen, then both fled in a stolen car believed to be a red Infiniti Q50, authorities said.
On July 21, a similar crime occurred at the BMO Harris Bank at 1355 W. Lake St., in Addison. One of two masked, armed men jumped on the counter and demanded tellers to open their drawers and put cash into a garbage bag. They also forced employees to open the vault and put money into the bag. About $172,152 was seized, authorities said.
On July 28, two armed, masked men threatened a security guard at the BMO Harris Bank at 2413 75th St., in Woodridge, telling him to open the door. The guard refused and both men took off, authorities said.
Shortly after, a Burr Ridge police officer spotted the suspected Infiniti speeding on I-294 near I-55. A Chicago police helicopter helped track the vehicle to an address in Chicago where officers found Eggleston. He tried to run and was apprehended but later released, prosecutors said.
"This was a tremendous and lengthy investigation involving several agencies and our partners at the FBI," Addison Police Chief Roy Selvik said.
This summer, the FBI offered a $20,000 reward for information in a series of robberies that included those in Addison and Naperville as well as separate ones in Bolingbrook, Frankfort and Matteson.
The FBI dubbed the suspects the "Bundled Bandits."
DuPage officials said they had no further information on the other cases.
Eggleston, a convicted felon, was on parole for a weapon offense when the robberies occurred, prosecutors said.
Eggleston appeared before Judge Michael Fleming Saturday and has an arraignment on Nov. 13.