FBI Chicago
Special Agent Siobhan Johnson
(312) 829-1199
September 25, 2015

FBI Searching for Bank Robbing Duo

CHICAGO—The FBI is asking for assistance from the public in identifying and locating a pair of bank robbers suspected of carrying out four robberies at three Chicago area banks. John A. Brown, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI, announced today that a reward is being offered for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the “Change Up Bandits.”

The robbers earned their moniker based on the disguises they wore and the manner in which the robberies were carried out. The Change Up Bandits first struck on Dec. 31, 2014, at the Community Bank branch located at 1001 Lake Street in Oak Park (Ill). At approximately 12:18 p.m. on that day, a male robber, dressed in winter clothes from head to toe, entered the bank, approached a bank employee and made a threatening demand for money. On Aug. 3, 2015, a robber generally matching the description of the individual from the prior robbery and operating in a similar manner entered the same Community Bank branch at about 11:25 a.m. This time, the male suspect was dressed as a woman and was assisted by a female who acted as a look out.

Similar robberies occurred at two other Chicago area banks in the last month. The Byline Bank branch located at 601 N. Harlem in Oak Park was robbed on Federal Bureau of Investigation – Chicago Field Office Aug. 28, by a male suspect wearing a head covering and sunglasses. He appeared to be assisted by a female getaway driver. On Sept. 23, the U.S. Bank branch located at 6700 W. North Ave. in Chicago was robbed by a female suspect matching the description of the previously mentioned lookout. However, she appeared to be dressed as a man wearing a fake mustache, baseball cap, sunglasses and a sweat shirt. A gun was displayed in the first two bank robberies. To date, there have been no physical injuries reported in connection with these robberies.

Witnesses have provided the following descriptions of the Change Up Bandits:

  • Male, black, 35 to 49 years old, 5’ 10” to 6’1” tall, weighing approximately 200 pounds.
  • Female, Hispanic, 20 to 25 years old, 5’4” to 5’7” tall with a large build.

Both are considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone recognizing the Change Up Bandits or having information about their whereabouts is asked to call the Chicago office of the FBI at (312) 421-6700 or local police. This case is being investigated by the FBI in coordination with local authorities.

Photographs from the robberies and additional information about the Change Up Bandits, as well as information about other unsolved bank robberies in the Chicago area, can be found online at http://bandittrackerchicago.com. A video profiling this case is also available at https://bankrobbers.fbi.gov and at https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoPoliceDepartment.