Chicago Area Bank Robberies On The Rise From Last Year
CHICAGO (CBS) -- According to the FBI, the number of bank robberies in the Chicago area could be on track to surpass last year's number.
CBS 2's Marissa Bailey breaks down the numbers and has reaction from the FBI.
Two suburban banks were robbed Monday within five minutes of each other; one an Inland Bank branch in Elmhurst, the other a TCF Bank branch in Stickney.
In both cases, a robber handed a note to a teller demanding money, then ran away with the cash.
According to the FBI, the man who robbed the Inland Bank was the same person who robbed a Bensenville bank in April.
The bottom line, according to the FBI, is that if robberies continue to happen at the same pace they have been this year, the greater Chicago area is on track to surpass last year's numbers.
FBI spokesman Ross Rice said, "We're very fortunate that it's below 100."
Even that would be a long way from the record. Rice said, for four or five years in a row several years ago, there were almost 200 robberies – or more – each year.
So far this year, 81 banks have been robbed in the Chicago area. Last year, there were 115 total.
New York City is on the same pace as last year, while Los Angeles' numbers are down.
Chicago's record for bank robberies was 284, set in 2006.
Rice said he doesn't think it will be anywhere close to that number this year.
"Most of the bank robberies that we solve has a common denominator with the robber, and that is some sort of substance abuse – alcohol, drugs, gambling – and they're robbing to support a habit.
If you have information about a bank robbery, you're asked to call the FBI immediately. You can also see surveillance photos of bank robbers on the FBI's "Bandit Tracker" website.
