'Wheaton Bandit' strikes again, hitting 3 more banks

Resurfacing after a 10-month absence, a masked gunman dubbed the"Wheaton Bandit" has robbed three suburban banks in less than twoweeks, authorities said Monday.

The latest holdups bring to 16 the number of times the gunman hasstruck the western suburbs since 2002, federal and local lawenforcement officials said, announcing they've raised to $45,000 thereward for information about the robberies.

Investigators Monday for the first time released a compositesketch of the deliberate, detail-obsessed gunman who carries a dark-colored pistol and covers his face with a ski mask, is believed towear body armor and moves rapidly, often completing the holdups in aminute or less.

But a witness apparently spotted the robber on Nov. 29 justbefore he covered his face and robbed a bank in west suburbanWinfield, investigators said.

The suspect is likely a 35 to 40-year-old white male, standsbetween 6 feet and 6 feet 2 inches tall, has a medium build and blueeyes, authorities said. He also is thought to have police ormilitary training.

In his most recent holdup, on Dec. 7 in Glen Ellyn, the mancarried a radio scanner, apparently so he could check whether localpolice had been alerted, FBI Special Agent Bill Monroe said.

The robber has netted well over $100,000 from the stickups, whichbegan on Jan. 14, 2002. Six of the first seven robberies occurred inWheaton, prompting investigators to dub the gunman the "WheatonBandit."

Four of the last seven holdups have occurred in neighboring GlenEllyn.

TAKES LONG TIME OFF

"There's a desire to find this guy. We're really hopeful someoneout there has seen someone who looks like him," said Glen EllynDeputy Police Chief Bill Holmer.

One question still puzzling investigators is why the stickup mansometimes waits months, then stages a flurry of holdups. Before thethree recent robberies, the gunman last struck Jan. 31 -- at thesame Glen Ellyn bank he robbed again last week.

"He's taken breaks before," Monroe said. "It's difficult to comeup with a real pattern for him."

Anyone with information about the robberies can contact the FBIat (630) 577-3464.

drozek@suntimes.com