Police commander helps catch River North bank robber

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Serving the Loop and Near North neighborhoods of downtown Chicago

230 W Grand Ave

(Above) Surveillance images from recent bank robberies in River North.

By Steven Dahlman

18-Jan-19 – Within minutes of robbing his third bank, a man was arrested on Thursday, thanks to an observant eyewitness and a vigilant police commander.

The man is suspected of robbing three Chase branches in River North.

On Monday, at about 4:30 p.m., he allegedly robbed the Chase branch at 755 North Larrabee Street, handing a note to a teller in which he claimed to have a gun and a bomb.

He passed a similar note to a teller at the Chase branch at 1122 North Clark Street on Tuesday at about 10:50 a.m. After he robbed that bank, a witness saw him getting into a taxi.

On Wednesday, at about 12:37 p.m., an employee of the Chase branch at 230 West Grand Avenue called 911 from a break room to report a robbery in progress. This time, the robber did not get far. Police were looking for taxi passengers that matched the robber’s description.

(Left) Surveillance image of robber of the Chase branch on Grand Avenue.

Four blocks west, near Grand Avenue & Desplaines Street, west of the Loop, 18th Police District Commander Daniel O’Shea (right) spotted the robber in the back of a taxi. He and police officers pulled over the cab. The suspect was arrested after bank employees identified him as the robber.