Have you seen this man? It could mean $20,000 dollars to you .
The FBI calls him the "Day Break Bandit" because he strikes just as the bank employees are arriving for work.
On Tuesday, the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of investigation asked for the public’s help, saying the man has hit three area banks in the last year.
By Wednesday afternoon, the number was four, as investigators believe he struck again, this time at a bank in Joliet Wednesday morning.
At 7:05 a.m. on Wednesday, the FBI believes the bandit robbed a Harris Bank branch in Joliet.
The FBI says the man was hiding behind a Dumpster near the bank and approached the employees as they were opening the branch for the day. He told them he was armed, then forced them to open the bank. He went right to the vault, and took an undisclosed amount of money.
The robber got away on foot. No getaway vehicle was seen.
Harris Bank Corporation previously offered $10,000, which the FBI doubled to $20,000.
Before Wednesday's heist, the robber's last hit was at the Marquette Bank branch at 1876 West Airport Road in Romeoville. According to witnesses, he was waiting outside the bank as an employee and an unarmed security guard arrived for work.
As they approached the door, he confronted them, claimed to have a gun and forced both into the bank. He threatened to hurt both individuals, if his instructions were not followed, and demanded that the bank employee open a vault, from which he removed a substantial amount of cash. The money was then placed into a black plastic garbage bag that he had brought with him. The robber then fled the bank on foot, out of sight of the bank employee and security guard.
Local
The other suspected thefts were at Harris Bank branches in Hinsdale, Illinois on March 17, 2008 and Plainfield, Illinois on October 30, 2008. As he did in the Romeoville theft, the robber waited outside the bank and surprised bank employees as they were opening their branches for the day. No injuries have been reported in any of the robberies.
The “Day Break Bandit” is described as a black or Hispanic male, 20 - 25 years of age, 5’4” – 5’ 6” tall, medium build, with dark hair. He has worn a ski mask and hooded jacket or sweatshirt in all of his robberies and has been given the moniker “Day Break Bandit” based on his pattern of robbing banks early in the morning as they are being opened for the day. A second individual is believed to have acted as a get-away driver in all of the robberies, but this person has not been fully described.
All three thefts are being investigated by the FBI, assisted by the Hinsdale, Plainfield and Romeoville Police Departments. Anyone recognizing this individual or having any information about any of these robberies is asked to call the Chicago FBI at (312) 421-6700.
