Suspect Arrested in “Winnie the Pooh” Robbery

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was joined today by Jody P. Weis, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and Thomas Dart, Cook County Sheriff, in announcing the arrest of a Chicago man who is believed to be responsible for the armed robbery of three (3) Chicago area banks in the past week.

MICHAEL J. VEYSADA, age 45, whose last known address was 5541 West Byron in Chicago, was arrested Friday evening by FBI Special Agents and Task Force Officers assigned to the Chicago FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF) at the Byron Street address. VEYSADA was taken into custody without incident, although the arresting agents and officers were forced to neutralize a pit bull that attacked them as they entered the residence.

VEYSADA was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of Armed Bank Robbery, which is a felony offense. The charge relates to the August 12th theft from the MB Financial Bank branch, located at 600 West Plainfield Road in Countryside. According to the complaint, VEYSADA is alleged to have entered the Countryside bank around 1:30 p.m., approached a teller, and orally announced a robbery. VEYSADA implied that he was armed with a handgun and threatened the teller with harm, if his demands were not met. After obtaining approximately $1300 in cash, VEYSADA fled the bank on foot and was not further seen.

Though not charged with any additional thefts, VEYSADA is also a suspect in the August 7th robbery of the Chase Bank branch in Park Ridge and the August 10th robbery of the Bank of America branch, located at 5541 North Harlem in Chicago.

No shots were fired and no injuries were reported during any of the robberies. The three robberies were investigated jointly by the Chicago FBI and Detectives from the Park Ridge and Countryside Police Departments.

FBI Agents and Task Force Officers were led to VEYSADA and the Byron Street address, following a tip from a member of the public who had seen media reports about the August 7th theft, where the robber was wearing a “Winnie the Pooh” sweatshirt. The tipster identified VEYSADA as the robber and also provided information as to his current whereabouts. Subsequent investigation by the FBI led to the charges that were announced today.

VEYSADA appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael T. Mason, earlier today, at which time he was formally charged. VEYSADA was ordered held without bond, pending his next court appearance, which is scheduled for August 25th at 10:00 a.m. Until then, VEYSADA will be housed at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Chicago. If convicted of the charge filed against him, VEYSADA faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years incarceration.

The Chicago FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force is comprised of FBI Special Agents, Detectives from the Chicago Police Department and Investigators from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.

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

EDITOR’S NOTE: Copies of the criminal complaint filed in this case are available from the Chicago FBI’s press office at (312) 829-1199.