Suspect Charged in Robbery of Bank of America Branch in Oak Lawn

Criminal charges were filed earlier today in connection with the robbery yesterday afternoon of the Bank of America branch located at 4606 West 111th Street in Oak Lawn.

Charles B. Estell, age 38, of Chicago, was charged in a criminal complaint filed this morning in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of bank robbery, which is a felony offense.

Estell was taken into custody early this morning after an extensive search of the bank and adjacent buildings by Oak Lawn police officers, neighboring local police departments, and FBI special agents. Estell was eventually found hiding in the ceiling of an office next to the bank branch.

The robbery took place just after 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, when Estell confronted two bank employees as they were preparing to close for the day. After binding the employees’ hands with zip-ties and duct tape, Estell is alleged to have placed as much as $100,000 in bank funds into a black backpack, which he had brought with him into the bank.

Oak Lawn Police were alerted to the robbery by an alarm and surrounded the bank before Estell was able to exit. He apparently saw the police waiting for him outside and attempted to hide inside the building to avoid capture. A black bag that contained a large amount of cash was subsequently discovered on the roof of the building.

Estell appeared before Magistrate Judge Sidney I. Schenkier this morning, at which time he was formally charged. Estell was ordered held without bond, pending his next court appearance which is scheduled for Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. If convicted of the charge filed against him, Estell faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years’ incarceration.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt, and all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.