Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Authorities Continue to Search for Suspect in Elmhurst Bank Robbery

The bank robbery occurred at Inland Bank at 539 S. Spring Road in Elmhurst Wednesday morning.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police continue to search for a suspect in a bank robbery that occurred Wednesday morning at Inland Bank & Trust at 539 S. Spring Road in Elmhurst.

Authorities did not have anyone in custody as of late Wednesday afternoon, according to Joan Hyde, media coordinator for the FBI in Chicago

At 8:54 a.m. on Wednesday, police said a white male wearing a mask entered the bank and demanded money verbally. The man did not show a weapon but threatened to have an explosive device, according to Joan Hyde, media coordinator for the FBI in Chicago.

Authorities did not locate any type of explosive during their investigation Wednesday, Hyde said. 

Following the robbery, the suspect fled on foot to the intersection of Montrose and Saylor and entered a white or silver SUV that was waiting at the intersection, according to a city of Elmhurst news release. Witnesses told police a dye pack exploded, "possibly contaminating the offender as he entered the vehicle," according to the news release.

The suspect is described as being a white male, 6-feet tall with an average build, according to Hyde. He was wearing a gray-hooded sweatshirt and his face was almost completely covered with a black ski mask at the time of the robbery.

No injuries were reported in the robbery, according to Hyde.  

And no information was available on the possibility of another person being involved or of any vehicle that might have been used in connection with the robbery, Hyde said in an e-mail response to Patch on Wednesday afternoon. 

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Four area schools —  Jackson School, Lincoln School, Madison Early Childhood Center and Bryan Middle School —were put on a soft lockdown for about an hour as police conducted a search of the area Wednesday, according to Executive Assistant to the Superintendent

"A soft lockdown is one that prevents any person from entering or exiting the building," according to a message sent by District 205 Superintendent Dave Pruneau to parents around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. "The students, however, are still able to continue class activities under direct staff supervision.  We have since been given an all clear from the police department and normal school activity has resumed. "

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This is not the first time the Inland Bank & Trust has been robbed. Police arrested Carlos M. Vilanova, 49, of Highland Township, Mich., last August for twice robbing the Elmhurst bank.

Anyone with information regarding this robbery can call the FBI at 312-421-6700. 

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE: 
Elmhurst Police and the FBI are investigating a bank robbery reported at 8:54 a.m. Wednesday at Inland Bank at 539 S. Spring Road in Elmhurst, according to a city of Elmhurst press release. 

Police said a white male wearing a mask entered the bank demanding money and then fled on foot. The offender fled to the intersection of Montrose and Saylor and entered a white or silver SUV that was waiting at the intersection, according to the news release. 

Witnesses told police a dye pack exploded, "possibly contaminating the offender as he entered the vehicle," according to the news release.

Several schools were placed on lockdown while police conducted a search of the area. The schools notified were Lincoln Elementary School, Bryan Middle School, Madison School and Jackson Elementary School.

Agents from the FBI are currently on the scene and will be the lead agency handling the investigation in cooperation with the Elmhurst Police Department.

Patch will update with more information as it becomes available. 

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